Back From The Dead
by sparkle7311
Summary: Detectives Starsky and Hutch left work five years ago and disappeared. No trace of them was ever found and they were presumed dead. Now it appears that Detective Starsky has been found alive but, where is Detective Hutchinson? Nobody knows and Detective Starsky is in no condition to tell them.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

Highway patrol officer Peter Bradley was on routine patrol on the back roads outside of Cedar Creek, California. The surrounding landscape was barren desert with almost no traffic on the highway, even in the middle of the day. He was reaching for the sunglasses stuck under his visor when he noticed something moving in the ditch up ahead.

Assuming it was an injured animal that had crawled into the ditch to die after being struck by a vehicle; he pulled over to the edge of the road and stopped. He stepped out of his cruiser and dropped his right hand to rest on the butt of his revolver as he prepared to put the poor creature out of its misery.

As he approached the side of the ditch, he was startled to find not a wounded animal as he had expected, but the huddled figure of a man. At the sound of his approach, the man's head jerked up, a look of absolute terror in his eyes. Long, matted, dark hair fell to his shoulders, and his swollen and battered face was peppered with open cuts and bruises.

Dry, split lips pulled back in something that resembled a snarl as Peter cautiously held out his left hand in a soothing gesture towards the obviously injured man.

"Hey, there…It's okay. I'm not going to hurt you. My name's Peter. What's yours?"

Instead of answering, the man actually growled and tried to crawl backwards, away from Peter's outstretched hand. That was when Peter noticed the torn, tattered clothing covered with dirt and blood stains. It was apparent that the man needed medical care. Peter momentarily debated whether he should call for an ambulance or put the man into the squad car and drive him almost thirty miles to the nearest hospital. Because he couldn't determine the extent of the man's injuries, Peter decided to drive rather than wait for an ambulance to reach them.

"Just let me put you in the car," he coaxed. "I'm a police officer. You're safe now. I'm not going to hurt you. I just want to help."

The words only seemed to agitate the man more. He began to whine, a high pitched whine that turned into a scream.

Instinctively, Peter reached out and grabbed the man's left wrist, intending to help him to his feet. As injured as the man looked, Peter certainly didn't expect a sudden lunge to his feet and an attack.

The sudden attack forced Peter back a few steps, the momentum sending the injured man falling into Peter's arms. Peter quickly wrapped his arms around him to restrain him even as the other man struggled in his embrace, kicking and actually snapping his teeth at him. Although he hated to do it, Peter quickly cuffed the other man's hands to protect both of them from any further harm.

He managed to get the man to the cruiser and into the back seat. He closed the rear door, which could only be opened from the outside, and paused for a second to catch his breath.

In the rear seat, the injured man continued to whimper, but he had stopped screaming. He had curled up into fetal position on the seat and was kicking his bare feet against the locked back door.

Sliding back under the wheel, Peter reached for the mike and pressed the transmit button.

"Dispatch, this is Ocean 12. Notify St. James that I am on my way there with a possible mentally disturbed person with unidentified injuries."

"Ten four, Ocean 12," Dispatch replied.

Peter replaced the mike and turned on the engine. Making a u-turn in the middle of the road, he headed for the hospital as quickly as he could, wondering what the story was for the man in his back seat.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

Captain Harold Dobey studied the selections in the vending machine. He had been in a meeting with the Police Commissioner since early that morning. Lunch had been served. Cobb salads. His wife would have been pleased, since she had him on another diet, but his stomach growled in protest at the memory of the paltry meal.

Almost defiantly, Dobey pushed the button for a chocolate bar and then a bag of chips. He scooped his prize from the tray and walked down the hall to his office, entering from the hallway door instead of through the squad room.

With a weary sigh, he eased his bulk into the comfort of his chair and surveyed the pile of paperwork littering his desk. He was startled when the door leading to the squad room burst open and Minnie Kaplan, the resident computer expert, burst into his office without knocking.

The normally calm and collected police woman looked both troubled and overwrought. Dobey opened his mouth to ask her what was wrong, but he never got the chance before Minnie cut him off in a rush of words.

"Captain, we just got a fax from a police department about two hundred miles north. They wanted us to check the fingerprints for a mentally disturbed person they found who appears to have been tortured over a long period of time." She paused to catch her breath and then blurted out, "Cap, they came back as a match for Starsky."

Dobey's face glazed over with shock as he fell back in his chair and a sudden burst of adrenaline flooded his body. Detective David Starsky had been one of his best men, along with his partner, Detective Ken Hutchinson. But, they were more than that to the Dobey family; they were close friends and honorary uncles to the two Dobey children.

Five years ago, they had gotten off duty and left police headquarters together. Then, they had simply disappeared. No trace of them had ever been found despite an extensive search and investigation. After months of keeping the case open, it had gone cold. They were both still classified as 'missing persons' but, everyone secretly assumed that they were dead.

"Are you sure?" he growled, his usual gruffness a cover for the hope that fluttered in his chest.

"I checked them myself. Three times," Minnie told him. She pushed her thick, black-rimmed glasses back up on her nose. "He's alive, Cap. Starsky's alive."

The petite police woman could barely contain her excitement. Like everyone else in the department, she had helped in any way she could to find the missing men when they disappeared. She also considered them personal friends. She missed them terribly and mourned for them in privacy of her own home.

"Where exactly did the fax come from?" Dobey asked.

"Cedar Creek PD."

"Call them and get any information they have on the man they found."

"Already done," Minnie said with a pleased smile as she handed Dobey two pages stapled together. She waited patiently as Dobey quickly read through the sparsely written report signed by an Officer Bradley. It gave a summary of how he found the man in the ditch and had to restrain him to get him the medical help he obviously needed. There had been no identification on the man when he was found, so his fingerprints had been sent to every police department within a four hundred mile radius of Cedar Creek.

"Did you get any information from the hospital?" Dobey asked. He was not surprised when Minnie handed him another report, this one a bit thicker. From his years of working with her, Dobey knew that she was competent and detail-oriented, which made her an asset in her chosen profession.

Dobey scowled as he read through the report from the hospital. It wasn't good. The man they found appeared to have been severely abused over a long period of time. Healed ligature marks on his wrists and ankles suggested that he had been restrained at least for part of that time.

There were welts, burns, lacerations, contusions, bruises and evidence of broken bones that had not healed properly. The man was severely dehydrated and near starvation. He was also extremely violent and aggressive, fighting anyone who got close to him. For their safety and his own, the hospital staff had been forced to restrain him and sedate him heavily.

Dobey sighed heavily as he laid the report on his desk. The first step was to make a positive ID on the man in Cedar Creek. He looked at Minnie solemnly. "Find Babcock and Simmons; then sign out a car. We're going on a road trip."

"Yes, sir," Minnie said, barely able to contain her excitement at being included in this particular trip.

As she turned to leave, Dobey added, "And keep this under your hat for now. We don't want the whole department knowing what's going on until we know ourselves."

"Yes, sir."

As Minnie left to carry out his orders, Dobey pulled a hanky out of his pocket and mopped at his face. He opened his desk drawer and took out a bottle of anti-acids. Popping the lid, he shook three tablets into the palm of his hand and put them in his mouth, chewing furiously. If David Starsky was alive, then where was his partner, Ken Hutchinson? Dobey hoped he would be able to finally find out what had happened to them five years ago.

Minnie found Jack Simmons and his partner, Ray Babcock, in the basement cafeteria. They were having a bite to eat before signing off shift and going home. They both glanced up when Minnie joined them. She leaned in to talk to them quietly so nobody else would overhear her.

"You guys need to sign out a car and go with Captain Dobey and me."

"Why? What's up?" Babcock asked in a mildly curious voice. He was used to following orders with very little additional information, but the underlying tension and excitement in Minnie's voice told him this was no ordinary assignment. "Where are we going?"

"Cedar Creekl. It's a town a couple of hundred miles north. A man was found and taken to a hospital there." Minnie's voice dropped to barely a whisper. "His fingerprints are a match for Starsky."

"Starsky?" Simmons exclaimed in a startled voice. He glanced around quickly and then also lowered his voice to a whisper. "Are you sure it's him?"

"The fingerprints are a match. I checked them three times. The Captain wants to make a positive ID."

"Why don't they just ask him who he is?" Babcock asked. Like most of the other men in the elite Zebra unit, he and Simmons aspired to be as good as Starsky and Hutch someday, and they had helped in the original search for the missing detectives. Even officers who had not personally known Starsky and Hutch respected them and their impressive record of successful arrests and convictions.

"Because he's not talking. He's so violent and disoriented that he had to be restrained and sedated."

"What about Hutch? Where's he?" Simmons asked

'He wasn't found with Starsky."

"Damn." Babcock began gathering the trash from their meal. "We'll sign out the car and meet you and Dobey out back in fifteen."

Minnie nodded and stood up. She left the cafeteria and headed for the female officer's locker room to change out of her uniform so she wouldn't draw any unnecessary attention.

Thirty minutes later, Captain Dobey, Minnie, Detective Simmons and Detective Babcock were on their way to Cedar Creek, California with Babcock behind the wheel.

"How could Starsky suddenly just show up like that?" Simmons asked, voicing the question that was on everybody's mind.

"Obviously he's been held somewhere against his will," Dobey growled. "And somehow he got away."

"Or whoever was holding him captive decided to just dump him in the desert," Minnie suggested. "They probably figured he'd die out there, and his body would never be found."

Minnie's scenario also made sense. The desert was often used as a dumping ground for bodies that needed to disappear. If the heat didn't destroy the evidence, rapidly decomposing the body and leaving nothing behind but bones, then the predators like coyotes and buzzards would.

"Either way, he's still alive, and we have to make sure that he stays that way," Dobey said solemnly.

'It would take somebody with a lot of hate to hold somebody prisoner for that long and torture them the way the hospital report makes it sound like Starsky was," Babcock said.

"Those two made their share of enemies over the years," Dobey pointed out unnecessarily. Several of the cases that Starsky and Hutch were famous for involved high-profile crimes with some pretty nasty characters. More than one attempt had made against their lives during the course of their career.

A year before their disappearance, Starsky had been gunned down in the police parking lot in a botched assassination attempt. He had actually died in the ICU and been brought back to life. He had surprised everyone, especially the doctors, by surviving the attack. It had taken almost a year for him to recover enough to return to active duty.

The crime lord responsible for the attack, James Marshall Gunther, a ruthless man with almost unlimited power, was brought down almost single-handedly by Hutch. At the time of their disappearance, Gunther had been investigated as a possible source, but no concrete evidence linking him to the crime had been found.

"It sounds like Starsky isn't going to be much help," Simmons pointed out. "Not if he's as disoriented as that hospital report makes it sound. I hate to say it, but it sounds as if his mind could be gone."

"Don't say that!" Minnie scolded him. "Starsky's stronger than that. He'll be okay. He has to be."

"The biggest question of all is…where's Hutch?" Babcock said as he passed a slow-moving sedan.

"Let's just take one thing at a time," Dobey said. "Right now we need to concentrate on Starsky. We'll start at square one and work this just like it was any other case."

"Except it's not, and we all know it," Simmons said. "And if Starsky is in no condition to help us solve this thing, there are some things we may never know…including where Hutch is or what happened to him."

Simmons reached out and turned on the car radio, tuning it to a country western station. He hoped the music would help settle everyone's nerves and ease the tension in the air.

It was close to 10:00 PM when they pulled into Cedar Creek. It was a small town by California standards with a population of only 35,000. Although they were all anxious to get to the hospital, Dobey insisted that they get rooms at a local motel for the night and get some rest, starting their investigation first thing in the morning. The others reluctantly agreed.

Babcock found a Red Roof Inn, and they waited in the car while Dobey went in and rented three rooms, one for himself, one for Minnie and one for Babcock and Simmons. Since he wasn't sure just how serious Starsky's condition was, he booked the rooms for three days, charging them to the Bay City PD.

He gave the others the keys to their rooms and then retired to his own room for the night. The first thing he did was place a call to his wife, Edith,

"Hello, Baby," he said when she answered the phone. "I just wanted to let you know that we arrived safely and give you the phone number for our motel. I rented our rooms for three days. I'll know more after we go to the hospital tomorrow and talk to the doctors."

"You're bringing David home aren't you?" Edith Dobey asked. She was as fond of the two detectives as her husband.

"As soon as the doctor tells us he's strong enough to be moved." Dobey fumbled with his tie as he talked. The long day caught up with him, and he stifled a yawn. "The number here is 555-4045. I'm in room 15, Babcock and Simmons are in room 17, and Minnie is in room 16."

"What do you want me to say if anyone from the department calls looking for you?'

"Just tell them I got called out of town on personal business for a few days, and that I will get back to them when I can."

"I love you, and I miss you. Take care of yourself."

"I love and miss you too, honey. Kiss the kids for me. And tell Rosie that I'm sorry I have to miss her recital."

"I will. And Rosie understands. She knows that police business comes first."

He could hear the smile in his wife's voice. Dobey's son, seventeen-year-old Cal, was already talking about following in his father's footsteps when he got older. He wanted to be a detective like his two favorite 'uncles'.

"I'm going to turn in. I'll call you tomorrow night."

"Good night, honey. Be safe."

There was a soft click as she hung up the phone. Dobey sighed as he replaced the receiver on the cradle. He was getting too old for this kind of stress. He was eligible for retirement in six months, and he had already decided that he was going to take it. He wanted to enjoy the years he had left with his family instead of being married to the job.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

Hospitals are, by their very nature, a depressing place. The smells, the sounds, the sights all combine to make people feel uncomfortable. It's even worse if you are there because someone you love and care about is injured. Listening while a doctor describes their injuries and their chances for survival in cold, clinical terms; then waiting, often for hours while their injuries are being tended to or surgery is performed wears on nerves that are already on edge.

During his long, distinguished career as a police officer, Captain Dobey had spent more time then he cared to remember sitting in one waiting room or another, waiting for news, good or bad, on one of his men. Too many times in the past, one of those men had been David Starsky or Ken Hutchinson. Five years ago, he had to deliver the news to both men's family that they were missing.

Over the years, hope had dwindled with each passing day, now hope was renewed with the discovery of David Starsky in the desert, severely injured and delusional, but alive. But, until he knew more details, Dobey was not notifying either man's family and raising false hope where there could still be none to give.

The next morning, the four police officers arrived at the hospital shortly after eight A.M. Captain Dobey approached the front desk with an air of authority and presented his badge and ID to the receptionist. The woman, in her mid-forties with carefully styled hair and perfect makeup, examined his credentials closely before handing them back with a pasted-on smile.

"How may I help you, Mr. Dobey?" she asked curtly.

"It's Captain Dobey." He felt the need to point out to her just as curtly. "We're here about a John Doe patient. We'd like to speak to Doctor Spencer."

"I will page the doctor and see if he is available to speak to you. He's in the middle of morning rounds so this is not a very convenient time. Perhaps you should come back later this afternoon?"

"We'll wait. I'm sure the doctor can find a few minutes to speak with us." Dobey ordered. He turned on his heel and strode across the room to a row of chairs along one wall. The four police officers sat down to wait.

Twenty minutes later a tall thin man in his late forties with thinning, brown hair, tired. blue eyes and a harried air about him, came striding towards them. He was dressed in immaculate white scrubs and a long, white lab coat.

"I'm Kevin Spencer," he said by way of an introduction. "You must be the police officer that called me from Bay City."

"Yes, I'm Captain Harold Dobey of the Bay City P.D., and these are my colleagues, Sergeant Minnie Kaplin, and Detectives Babcock and Simmons. Is there some place where we can talk privately?"

"Let's go to my office. This way." Dr Spencer turned and led the way down a long hallway to the left. Open doors on either side of the hall opened into what appeared to a series of offices, some busy and some empty. He ushered everyone into the last office on the left and shut the door behind them.

The room was small and cluttered with stacks of files piled haphazardly on the desk in the middle of the room. The carpet on the floor was worn and threadbare, the walls the same color of green seemingly preferred by hospitals around the country. The doctor sat down behind the desk and gestured for Dobey and the others to be seated in the hard-back chairs and overstuffed sofa dominating the wall opposite the desk.

As soon as everyone was seated, he sorted through the stack of files until he found the one he was looking for. Flipping it open, he read from the papers inside

"The patient was admitted to this hospital three days ago at approximately ten A.M. The initial examination revealed a man who at first appeared to be in his late forties or early fifties, but after a cursory examination that was changed to a man in his late thirties to early forties. The patient was highly combative and physically aggressive so, for his safety, as well as the safety of the hospital staff, he was restrained and given twenty-five milligrams of valium to sedate him." The doctor paused and glanced up to make sure there were no questions, when Dobey nodded at him to continue, he returned to his notes.

"After being sedated, the patient was examined by this doctor. He was found to be in a severely dehydrated condition with a body weight of one hundred and ten pounds which indicated a state of severe malnutrition bordering on starvation. Numerous other injuries were further noted indicating months, possibly years of severe physical abuse with clear signs of torture. Ligature marks on the wrists and ankles indicate that the patient was held prisoner in some unknown location.

Other injuries included several severe lacerations in various stages of healing, including a fresh six inch laceration across patient's lower abdomen that appears to have been made with a knife. Other lacerations were noted on patient's lower arms and hands. Possibly defensive wounds, since these were also fairly recent injuries.

Older wounds, some healed, included several small round scars, possibly made by cigarettes, on the patient's back and chest. Scars on the patient's stomach and genital area also appear to have been caused by burns from an unknown source, possibly electrical.

Numerous contusions and bruises were noted on the patient's torso, legs and face. X-rays revealed three broken ribs on the right side and two on the left, as well as a broken left wrist and three broken fingers also on the left hand. There was evidence of previous broken ribs, a broken collar bone, a broken left ankle and right leg. Although these breaks are healed, they appear to have healed without any medical treatment. Old scars indicated extensive surgical procedures in the past along with scars from what appear to be gunshot wounds.

The patient also had internal injuries and bleeding from a ruptured spleen and damage to his left kidney. Surgical intervention was deemed necessary and was performed at eleven-forty five A.M. Patient was moved into recovery at five-fifteen that afternoon and then admitted to the intensive care unit in critical but stable condition. Patient has remained in a medically induced coma for his own safety and to allow his body to begin to heal without any further intervention." The doctor finally looked up from his narration. "Does anyone have any questions?"

"So you're saying he's going to live?" Dobey asked the most obvious question first.

"At the moment he has roughly a 75 per cent chance of survival barring any unforeseen complications such as infections or any further hemorrhaging."

"When can he be moved? If he is my missing officer, we would like to transfer him to a medical facility in Bay City."

"At the moment, moving him is out of the question. I would not be comfortable transferring him to another facility until his condition is more stable and his mental status is evaluated."

"Understood," Dobey replied with a nod of his head. "We'd like to see him now. Although we have fingerprint identification, we still need visual confirmation that your patient is David Starsky."

"Very well. I'll call intensive care and let them know you're coming up. It's on the seventh floor. You will be allowed to see the patient for ten minutes, but no longer than that. I would also suggest that any family members he has should be notified of his condition and that he is here."

"That will done at my discretion." Dobey informed him firmly, his tone making clear that there was no arguing the point. "At the moment, my primary concern is making a positive identification of your patient."

With those words, Dobey rose to his feet, and he and the four police officers left the doctor's office. They walked back down the hall to the main lobby and took an elevator to the seventh floor.

The Intensive Care Unit was a scene of carefully controlled chaos. The patients cared for in this unit were in critical condition and in need of constant supervision and often total care, twenty-four hours a day. Each patient had their own separate room, necessary to house the various machines and other equipment necessary for their individualized care. The most critical patients were located in the rooms closest to the nurse's station. Patient John Doe was in room one.

Dobey, Babcock, Simmons, and Minnie quietly entered room one and stared at the lone occupant lying on the bed in the middle of the room. Assorted machines surrounded the bed, monitoring his vital signs and breathing for him through a tube that ran down his throat. Other tubes ran from various parts of his body, supplying his body with the necessary nutrients to stay alive, blood, antibiotics, and other necessary medications. A bag hanging on the left bed rail collected urine from his injured kidneys.

Although each of the four people in the room were familiar with David Starsky, some more than others, they were all stunned to see the figure before them. He barely resembled anyone who could still be alive. He reminded Dobey of the pictures he had seen of holocaust survivors during the war. His eyes were sunken deep within his skull and he was so emaciated that every bone was painfully evident beneath tightly stretched skin.

David Starsky had a headful of thick, dark curls, but this man's hair had been haphazardly cut, leaving what appeared to be razor cuts on his bare skull. His sideburns were gray.

His arms, legs, and his torso were wrapped with bandages, some covering large areas, other covering smaller ones. Not one inch of the man's body was without some kind of injury in varying degrees of healing and severity. Still, everyone present knew in their hearts that they had just found their missing friend.

"My, God…" Minnie breathed in a barely audible voice, voicing the same thing that everyone else was thinking. She stepped closer to the bed and knelt down to whisper in the unconscious man's ear, "Hey, Starsky…it's Minnie. We're here, babe, you're not alone. Me, Captain Dobey, Simmons, Babcock…we're all here, and we're gonna be here until the doctor says that you're strong enough to come home. We love you, and we missed you." She pressed a gentle kiss to the feverish forehead and then straightened up, turned and ran from the room, blinded by her tears.

The three men remaining at the foot of the bed had tears in their own eyes as they turned and left the room. The search for David Starsky might be over, but the mystery of his disappearance still remained, as did the biggest question of all. Where was his partner? Where was Ken Hutchinson?


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

"I tell you I never saw anything like it before," the young, uniformed officer said with a shake of his head. "I just hope he's gonna be okay."

"The doctors are doing all they can," Dobey said. "Can you show us the area where you found him?'

"Sure I can, but there ain't nothing out there for miles but desert."

"So, you don't know of any old buildings or anything like that anywhere close to where he was found where he could have been held?" Babcock asked.

"Nope, sure don't." Officer Bradley paused and appeared to be thinking for a moment. "But, that don't mean there ain't some old miner's cabin or even an old mine shaft out there. It could take months, if not longer, to search the area."

"And there was no sign of anyone else?" Minnie asked quietly.

"No, ma'am. Just him."

Their conversation was interrupted by Bradley's supervisor, Captain Carl Travis. "The department and my entire staff are at your disposal for as long as necessary," he stated solemnly. "I understand you have a second missing man."

"Yes, Detective Starsky's partner, Detective Hutchinson." Captain Dobey made a quick assessment of the other man. Around his own age with a lined, weather-beaten face, closely cut gray hair, and brown eyes. A bit overweight but still in good shape with muscular arms and large hands. A shrewd judge of character, he was satisfied with what he saw.

"And you say they just up and disappeared five years ago." Travis shook his head in disbelief. "Don't that beat all. Then one of 'em gets dropped in my neck of the woods out of nowhere…half dead and not able to tell you anything. I've been a police officer for almost thirty years and never had a case like that."

"None of us have ever had a case quite like this," Dobey stated solemnly.

"Somebody had to have a lot of hate inside to treat another human being like that. A lot of hate. Bradley here will see that you get anything you need while you're guests in our little town." Travis reached out and shook Dobey's hand, then looked at the younger officer. "Captain Dobey will be your temporary commanding officer while he is here."

"Yes, sir."

Dobey hid a smile. He almost expected the younger man to salute. He knew that a town the size of Cedar Creek didn't come close to seeing the action that a department in Bay City did. This was probably the biggest thing that had ever happened in the town's entire history.

Bradley visibly relaxed as Travis walked away. He flashed the Bay City officers a smile. "I can take you to the spot where I found your officer now, if you'd like."

"That would be good, and then we'll be heading back to the hospital," Dobey answered for all of them.

A little over twenty minutes later, Bradley pulled his cruiser up to the spot where he had found Starsky. As they climbed out of the car, Captain Dobey and his officers glanced around at the barren terrain surrounding them: a rock and sand landscape dotted with cacti, mesquite bushes, tumbleweeds and dust devils. Light flashed as the sun winked off a bottle or piece of glass littering the area. In the distance they could hear the howling of coyotes and see buzzards circling in the sky. The air smelled hot and dry, like baked earth. It was a stark, unforgiving place.

"This is it." Bradley gestured towards the deep, overgrown ditch. "That's where I found him, lying there in the ditch. I thought at first it was some animal that was hurt, and I was going to put it out of its misery. Then I saw him. He attacked me. He didn't seem to understand that I just wanted to get him help. He never spoke, just sort growled, and he even snapped at me with his teeth. I had to handcuff him to keep him from hurting himself or me. He started screaming when I tried to touch him. I tell you, that scream was enough to send chills down your spine." He paused and took a deep breath, exhaling slowly before continuing. "When I got him into the back seat he curled up and started kicking the door with his feet, and he just started whimpering. When I got him to hospital, they had to sedate him before they could even get him out of the car."

"We're grateful to you for all you did for him," Dobey said

"Has he really been missing for five years?'

"Yes, son, he has."

"And there was no sign of anyone else when you found him?" Simmons asked quietly.

"No, sir. Just him. The wind blew the sand back across any trail he might have left so I couldn't even tell what direction he came from."

"And you don't know of any abandoned cabins or buildings anywhere in the area when he could have been held without anyone knowing about it?" Babcock questioned.

"No, sir. But, I've never really ever explored these parts.'

"Do you know anyone who might know?" Minnie asked.

"Maybe ole Indian Joe. He lives in a old hut about ten miles south of here."

"Could you take us to meet him?" Dobey asked, sensing a possible lead.

"Sure, but he may not talk to you. He don't care much for white folks."

"We'd still like to try."

With one last look at the rugged terrain, they all climbed back into the car, and Bradley headed south.

He stopped in front of a rundown wooden building that looked uninhabitable by most standards. The windows were cracked and covered with grime, the front door hung haphazardly from its hinges, and the wood was gray and rotting in spots. The ground surrounding the shack was bare of grass and littered with trash. A half starved goat and some scraggly-looking chickens ran loose around the building.

Following Bradley's lead, Captain Dobey climbed out of the car and followed the young deputy to the front of the shack. Babcock, Simmons and Minnie stayed in the car so as not to overwhelm the reclusive resident of the shed with their presence.

Bradley knocked on the door and called out, "Hey, Joe…it's me. Deputy Pete. I got some folks here who'd like to talk to you for a minute."

He waited, but there was no response. He tried again, but still no answer from within. He looked at Dobey and shook his head. "Don't look like he's here. We'll have to try again later."

As they turned to leave, a young woman came from around the side of the shack, startling them both. She was in her early twenties and quite pretty, with brown eyes and long, black hair that hung loose around her shoulders and down to her back. From her complexion it was apparent that she was native American and features.

"Hello, Deputy," she said in a soft, melodious voice. "May I help you?

"Hello, Willow. It's good to see you again," Bradley told her with a pleased smile. "This is Captain Dobey from Bay City. He'd like to ask your grandfather some questions about the desert."

"Grandfather is not here. He's out hunting, and you know that he will not talk to strangers. If you tell me what you need, I will speak to him when he gets back."

"Captain Dobey is trying to find out if there are any old sheds or abandoned buildings anywhere in the desert where a man could be held without anyone knowing."

Willow arched a brow but kept silent for several minutes. "I will ask when he returns. I work tonight at the tavern. Meet me there around ten o'clock, and I'll let you know if Grandfather has any answers for you."

"Thank you, Miss. I'd appreciate that," Dobey said with a sincere smile.

"No problem. Whatever it is you seek I hope grandfather can help you." The young woman smiled and disappeared into the shack.

"Is there anywhere else I can take you, Captain?" Bradley asked as they joined the others at the car.

"Just take us back to headquarters so we can pick up our car. We'll be at the hospital if you need to find us." Dobey could only hope that the young woman might have some news for them later that could help them find Hutch and figure out what had happened to Starsky.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

The Silver Spur was just like dozens of other bars of its kind scattered throughout not just California, but the rest of the country as well. The building was old, with worn boards and a garish sign lighting up the bar's name. Inside, the interior was dimly lit, the air heavy with smoke and background noise. A jukebox in the back of the room blared country music, while several couples danced on a tiny section of floor. A long bar ran along the length of one wall, and tables that seated anywhere from two to four people were scattered throughout the room.

People talking and laughing, some noticeably louder than others, filled the room along with the sound of glasses clinking together, chairs scraping across the wooden floor, and waitresses calling out food and drink orders to the bartender or the cook. The aroma of the deep fryer and sizzling hamburgers mixed with the smell of too many bodies together in one space, someone wearing too much cologne or perfume, and cigarette smoke.

Captain Dobey and his companions found an empty table and sat down. A waitress dressed in jeans and a low-cut blouse quickly cleared off the empty glasses, dirty plates, and balled-up napkins. She ran a bar rag across the table, then looked at her new customers with a bright smile.

"What can I get you folks?"

"Just a cup of coffee," Dobey told her. Minnie, Simmons and Babcock all followed his lead and ordered the same.

A few minutes later, Willow appeared at their table. She was dressed in jeans and a white blouse like the other waitresses, but her clothing was a bit more discreet and not as revealing. Still, her natural beauty caught the eye immediately.

"Hello, again." She greeted them with a warm smile.

"Did your grandfather tell you anything that might help us find our friend?" Dobey asked.

"The only such place that Grandfather knows of that fits your description is deep in the desert, a place that is forbidden to my people. It is said to be haunted by the ghosts of my ancestors who where slaughtered there in a massacre by white men many moons ago."

"Can you take us to this place?"

Willow shook her head. "As I said, the land is forbidden to my people. I can not set foot on it, but I can draw you a map."

"We'd appreciate that," Dobey told her.

"I have a break in about an hour. Why don't you get something to eat and enjoy yourself? I will draw the map and give it to you before you leave."

"Thank you. We'll do that."

"Good. What can I get you?" Willow asked.

They all ordered hamburgers and fries. Willow nodded and strolled over to the bar to place their order.

"What better place to hold someone prisoner than somewhere that the natives consider forbidden land," Minnie said casually.

"And if it's that far out in the desert, the locals aren't going to stumble on it by accident," Babcock added.

"The only question is who and why?" Simmons added.

"Considering the condition Starsky is in, it's pretty obvious why," Minnie said solemnly. "So, the real question is who."

"One thing at a time," Dobey told them. "We'll talk to the local police in the morning and see what they have to say about this place, and then go from there."

When their food arrived, they ate their meal in a comfortable silence, each of them lost in their own thoughts. Police work can often be a tedious routine of interviewing witnesses or suspects to find the clues you need and then piecing them together to figure out the case. And hoping you find the answer that you're looking for and get the bad guy. The hard part is when, no matter what you do, you don't find the answers that you're looking for.

When they had finished eating, Willow came back to their table and handed the Captain a piece of folded paper. "I hope this helps, and you find your friend," she said. With a smile, she returned to her duties, and the Bay City officers left, returning to their motel for the evening.

The next morning, they went to the local police station where they met with Officer Bradley. They went to an empty office in the back of the building where they could talk in private.

"Yeah, I know where you're talking about," Bradley said. "But, I've never been there myself. I don't know anyone in the department who has. It's really out there. It's at least a four hour ride, and the only way to reach it is by horseback." He paused momentarily as he remembered the stories he had had heard since childhood. "According to history, the local Indians had a settlement there. When the white man decided to claim this land as their own, they raided the settlement and killed everyone there…women, children, babies. Most of the men were gone on a hunting trip at the time. The women and young girls were raped before being massacred. Then the bodies were left to rot in the sun.

When the men of the tribe returned and saw what had been done to their women and families, they sought revenge, and in the end, most of the Indians and a large portion of the white men were killed. The Indians that survived started another settlement and rebuilt. But, it was years before the two groups learned to live in peace. The site of the original massacre was considered forbidden ground, and neither Indian or white man would set foot on it. There have been stories about the ghosts of the dead who still roam the place, seeking revenge against anyone who ventures there."

"That would be enough to keep me away," Minnie said with a shudder.

Simmons and Babcock nodded in agreement.

"It would also make it the perfect place to hold someone prisoner and torture them for as long as you wanted to," Dobey pointed out. "Nobody would hear their screams, and even if someone did venture close enough to hear them, they would just think it was part of the legend. Most people would be too afraid to try and explore any further."

"It would almost have to be a local to know about the place," Simmons suggested.

"Maybe not," Babcock said. "They could have known someone from here who told them about the legend."

"Do any of you know how to ride?" Bradley asked.

"I do," Babcock told him. "And I taught Simmons. We've been riding a few times. We even went with Hutch one time."

"The only time I've ever been on a horse was at Central Park when I was six," Minnie admitted with a thin smile.

"I've never been on one, but that's never stopped me before," Dobey said gruffly. He looked at Bradley. "Can you find some horses and arrange to take us?"

"Getting the horses is no problem. The department has six of their own. But, I couldn't take you out there until tomorrow at least. We need to get some supplies together, and since none of you are experienced riders, you need at least a couple of hours practice to know what you're doing. It's a rough ride, and not for city folks who don't know how to handle a horse."

"That makes sense." Dobey said. He didn't like the delay but he could see the reasoning behind the young deputy's statement. None of them wanted to be left behind, and they didn't want to slow the others down by not knowing how to ride. "We need to go to the hospital to check on Starsky, but we can meet you back here at two, if that will work for you."

"That'll be fine," Bradley told him. "That'll give me time to check out the horses and get some supplies together. Then we can plan on leaving in the morning."

At the hospital, the charge nurse informed them that there had been no change in Starsky's condition. Captain Dobey demanded to speak to the doctor in charge.

After ten minutes of impatiently waiting, they were joined by Doctor Spencer.

"There's really nothing new I can tell you, Captain," the doctor said a bit brusquely. "There has been no significant change in your man's condition."

"Why is he still in a coma?"

"Because his body still needs to rest to recover properly, and because whenever the medication is lowered, he becomes extremely agitated and aggressive."

"Do you have any time frame for bringing him out of the coma?"

"Perhaps in a few more days, depending on how well his injuries are healing." The doctor sighed heavily. "I'm sorry. I know that's not what you want to hear, but I have to put the patient's needs first based on my medical opinion of his condition."

"I understand," Dobey replied gruffly. "But, I'm sure you understand that we need to talk to him as soon as humanly possible."

"I realize that, but you need to understand that you may not be able to talk to him for weeks, depending on his mental state. Based on my own professional expertise and a consultation with our staff psychiatrist about his condition, there is a strong possibility that your man's mind might be gone…damaged beyond repair by his captivity."

"You don't know Starsky," Minnie said firmly. "He's a fighter. If anyone can beat this, he can."

"I hope you're right. Only time will tell."

The doctor walked away, and they went into Starsky's room. Someone had shaved Starsky's face and trimmed his hair so he looked a bit more familiar. But, he was still much too thin, and he was much too still compared to the energetic, almost hyperactive, personality they were all used to.

"He fought them," Minnie said needlessly. "That's why he's in such bad shape. No matter they did to him, Starsky wouldn't go down easily. And he and Hutch would both watch out for each other…either one of them would die to protect the other one."

"That's true…so where's Hutch?" Babcock said, "Starsky would never leave without him…not unless he had to."

They all fell into a solemn silence. None of them wanted to put voice to their biggest fear. That Hutch was dead, his body left to rot somewhere in the desert.

They left the hospital, and before returning to the police station for their 'riding lesson', they stopped for a quick bite to eat, then made a stop at a local store. Since none of them had any casual clothes with them, and they would be traveling in the desert during the heat of the day, they all bought a pair of blue jeans, a denim shirt, boots and a cowboy hat. They stopped at the motel long enough to change clothes. They all had to laugh at seeing themselves in the unaccustomed clothing, especially the Captain.

Back at the police station, they met up with Bradley, who led the way to a large paddock in the back of the building. Five horses were tied to the fence, waiting patiently. Bradley assigned a pinto mare to Minnie, a sorrel mare to Babcock, a brown gelding with a white blaze on its face to Simmons, and a black gelding to Captain Dobey.

"You don't have to worry about the horses. They're trained to follow voice commands, and they're all gentle. I just want to make sure you all feel comfortable mounting and un-mounting them, and that you get in the right rhythm for riding them. I'm not going to lie, you'll be sore when we're done, but that will pass. And I did put a bottle of liniment in the supply pack for anyone who needs it." He smiled as he spoke. He often trained children to ride, and teaching the basics to an adult was no different.

The next four hours were spent on the riding lesson. Bradley was satisfied when they were done. Babcock and Simmons rode well already, and both Minnie and Captain Dobey were quick learners. Although Dobey was obviously uncomfortable, he made the best of it and followed Bradley's instructions. They were as ready as they were going to be for the next day's excursion into the desert.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

The next morning Captain Dobey and Minnie were both sore and stiff, moving slowly to compensate for the lingering pains from their riding lesson the previous afternoon. But, being true professionals, they ignored their various aches as they prepared for their day in the desert.

They met Bradley at the police station where, after a few last minute instructions, they mounted their horses and headed out. Bradley wanted to give them some time on a more level terrain to get comfortable with the horses before tackling the more rugged terrain of the desert. It was still early morning, but the temperature was already on the rise.

When they reached the spot of Starsky's rescue by Officer Bradley, they paused for a short break before heading out into the desert. Bradley kept their pace slow and easy in deference to the inexperienced riders with him. The glare of the sun made them all squint, and the rising heat made it hard to breathe comfortably.

The rough terrain made it necessary to keep a close eye out for holes, loose rocks and twisted roots. They also had to be alert for the predators that called the desert their home. Rattlesnakes, scorpions, and packs of wild dogs. They took frequent breaks for water, not only for themselves, but for the horses. By noon, after three hours of riding, they had only gone a few miles.

That afternoon, they came across a run-down shed with a collapsed roof. After a search of the building, it was apparent that nobody had inhabited the structure for quite some time. Bradley told them that, in all likelihood, the shack had been used by a squatter or a prospector seeking his fortune. They moved on.

Bradley had come prepared to spend the night, well aware that they might not be able to reach their destination in one day. Late that afternoon, he called a halt, and they dismounted. Simmons and Babcock helped Bradley set up camp, while Minnie and Captain Dobey rested.

After building a fire, both for warmth and to keep the night-time predators at bay, they ate a light meal of dried meat and cornbread, washed down with cups of black coffee. They turned in after eating. Minnie had her own tent, while the four men shared a second, larger one. They all slept soundly and awoke early, ready for another day of searching.

It was late in the afternoon of the second day that they came upon a large clearing that seemed strangely quiet and unblemished by weeds and other desert debris. Even the usual signs of animal inhabitation was strangely absent.

"I think this might be the place," Bradley said, voicing the thought that was on everyone's mind.

"Over there…there's a building," Minnie said pointing to a structure two hundred yards from where they stood. There were the remains of similar structures nearby, but this was the only one that was still intact. Most of the other structures were collapsed or appeared to have been partially burned.

The intact building appeared to be close to 250 feet long, 25 feet wide, and 25 feet high with a rounded roof. A door at the front was covered with what appeared to be some sort of animal hide.

"That's an old Indian longhouse," Bradley told them. "From the size, it probably belonged to the chief and his family."

The officers slowly made their way to the building, and Simmons pushed aside the animal hide so they could go inside. The interior was dark, the only light filtering down from some round circles in the ceiling at regular intervals.

"The holes were for the smoke to escape when they cooked. When it rained, one of the younger bucks would go on the roof and cover the openings." Bradley continued with his impromptu history lesson.

Glancing around, there were minimal signs that someone had inhabited the building at some point in the not-so-distant past. A worn sleeping bag and a plastic cooler indicated that the inhabitants had been ancestors of a deceased race.

"If they had Starsky and Hutch here, they must have cleared out when Starsky got loose," Minnie suggested, still convinced that Starsky had somehow escaped his captors.

"We need to search every inch of this compound," Dobey instructed. "We need to make sure and document everything we find. There's no way of knowing what might be important, so make sure you pay attention to every detail."

"If this is where they were held, I don't see how Starsky could have made it from here to where he was found on foot…not in his condition," Babcock pointed out.

"I agree," Dobey said. "That's something we'll deal with later. Right now, let's see what we can find here. By the book. One step at a time."

The three detectives and Bradley each focused on a separate area of the structure to search while Dobey drifted from one location to another, overseeing each individual search.

After two hours of careful searching, they had found some torn and dirty clothing, some with what appeared to be blood stains on them; a single, nearly deteriorated, blue tennis shoe with three white stripes on the side, identical to a pair that Starsky had owned and worn: strips of leather tied to some poles in the middle of the long house, positioned approximately at the same height for a man around six feet tall.

They all found smears of what looked like blood in various spots throughout the building, on the walls and on the floor: there was a length of chain fastened to a wall at one end of the building with a shackle at one end: an innocent-looking car battery and a set of jumper cables: several piles of cigarette butts and empty beer cans: and the most disturbing discovery of all: a human skull barely covered by a layer of dirt and ashes in one of the fire pits in the middle of the room.

They gathered up what they could to take back to Cedar Creek with them. From there the evidence would be sent to a more sophisticated lab in Bay City for testing. With the new advances in technology, they hoped they could identify a suspect that might provide the information that could solve the case.

Finding the possible location of their friend's imprisonment and torture had left everyone in the search party feeling dejected, and yet filled with a fierce need for revenge and retaliation. Even though he did not know Starsky or Hutch, Bradley felt a compassion and alignment with his Bay City colleagues. He hoped that whoever was responsible for something so horrendous would be found and held accountable.

When they made camp that night everyone turned in early, anxious to return to civilization. They went to sleep with the howling of the coyotes in the distance echoing in their heads and reminding them of the grim secrets that the desert hid.

When they returned to Cedar Cereek the next afternoon, Captain Dobey and his officers stopped at their motel long enough to change clothes before heading to the hospital to check on Starsky.

They were met on the ICU by Doctor Spencer who gravely announced, "We've started bringing Mr. Starsky out of his coma, but I must warn you that the more alert he becomes, the more aggressive he gets. I've ordered four-point restraints to keep him from harming himself or any of my staff."

"This man has been forcibly detained and tortured for the past five years." Captain Dobey growled in deep voice. "Hasn't it ever occurred to you that putting him in restraints in his present condition and state of mind could actually cause him to become aggressive?"

"That may be the case, but I have to think about not only the patient's safety, but also the safety of my staff. I did what I felt was best for everyone concerned."

"I'm sure you do, but, as of now, I am informing you that I will be removing Detective Starsky from this hospital immediately and having him transferred back to Bay City."

"I strongly advise against that. I do not think the patient is in any condition to be moved," Doctor Spencer argued.

"I will be contacting Detective Starsky's personal physician back in Bay City, and he will be taking over his care. That decision will be up to him. Your services are no longer required. One of my men will stay with Detective Starsky at all times until his transfer can be arranged."

"Very well," Doctor Spencer said, making a noticeable effort to control his temper. "I hope you don't end up regretting that decision." With those words, he turned and walked away.

Dobey sighed heavily and turned to face his officers. "Which one of you wants to take the first watch?"

"I will," Minnie volunteered immediately. She looked at Dobey anxiously. "Can we remove the restraints?"

"Let me talk to Dr. Ashton and see what he says," Dobey told her. "If he thinks it's safe to remove them, then we will."

Minnie nodded and walked to Starsky's room to take up her post at his side, while Captain Dobey walked over to a bank of pay phones along one wall and placed a call to Dr. Ashton at Memorial Hospital in Bay City.

He had been Starsky's doctor after the shooting that had almost killed him, both immediately after the shooting and during his long recovery afterwards. He had come to know Starsky and Hutch very well during that time and had become their personal physician. Since they each held each other's medical power of attorney, it helped simplify things when it came to their personal care. They had both respected the doctor's direct manner and genuine concern for his patients.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

_**Blackness. Too much darkness. No sound, no light. Only the frantic beating of a heart inside a broken body.**_

Minnie was jolted awake. Not sure what had awakened her, she automatically looked around the room checking for any unexpected intruders before turning her attention to the man lying on the bed.

Starsky was restless, making deep, guttural sounds in his chest, accompanied at intervals by a low pitched whine that tore at Minnie's heart. She crossed to his side and wrapped her fingers around his hand, squeezing gently as she tried to offer whatever comfort she could to her friend and colleague. Her own heart began to pound when she felt those limp fingers squeeze back. It was such a small squeeze it could have been easily dismissed as a reflex reaction to her touch, but somehow she knew that the man she knew was locked somewhere inside the body on the bed in front of her.

"It's me, baby…" she whispered into a curl covered ear. "It's mother Minnie. You're safe now…just relax and come back to us…" She squeezed the fingers again but this time there was no response. With a soft sigh, she reached out with her foot to pull her chair closer to the bed and sat down. She never took her eyes off the face of her charge as she sat there praying for a miracle.

Around noon, Captain Dobey arrived at the hospital. He was accompanied by Dr. Ashton from Bay City.

"Why don't the two of you get something to eat while I examine David?" Dr. Ashton suggested. "I imagine I'll be about an hour."

"I think he's trying to wake up. I'm sure he squeezed my hand earlier," Minnie told him.

"Let's hope you're right," the doctor told her with a slight smile. "The sooner he does, the better."

"Come on, you look like you could use a cup of coffee and some food," Dobey said as he cupped Minnie's elbow to guide her out of the room.

"That does sound good," Minnie admitted with a wry smile. The two of them walked down the hallway to the elevator so they could go to the cafeteria on the first floor.

When they returned to Starsky's room, Dr. Ashton was just coming out. He greeted them both with a smile. In low tones, he told them, "He's been through hell, but I feel confident that, with time, he will recover. He is trying to fight the sedation they've been giving him, so I've ordered them to reduce the dosage. If he does well without becoming too aggressive, then I see no need to keep him so heavily sedated. I've also ordered them to remove the restraints."

"When will we be able to take him back to Bay City?" Dobey asked.

"I want to see how he does once we lower the sedation, but I see no reason why we can't transfer him back to Bay City in a day or so…by ambulance of course." He paused and then added, "No sign of Ken?"

"Not yet…but we're not giving up…we found the location where we believe they were being held and gathered the evidence we found at the scene." Dobey told him.

"So you believe that he's still alive?"

"We hope so."

"So do I," Dr. Ashton said. "David always recovers faster when Ken is around." He walked down the hall towards the nurse's station while Dobey and Minnie continued into Starsky's room.

Later that afternoon, they were joined by Simmons and Babcock. With a pleased smile, Babcock reported on an update from Bay City.

"Jimmy said there was evidence that at least two men, with two different blood types, were held at the scene. The blood types match Starsky and Hutch. The evidence also shows that there were at least three other men involved, maybe four. The skull we found at the scene belonged to an unidentified man. It was not Hutch."

Both Dobey and Minnie breathed a heartfelt sigh of relief at hearing that the skull they found did not belong to the blond detective. But, they were no closer at finding the missing man then they had been.

"Anything else?" Dobey asked

Simmons and Babcock exchanged a glance.

After a moment's pause, Simmons said, "There was some evidence that suggests that one of them, or both, were moved from that location to a new one about three or four months ago."

"But, there's nothing to suggest that Hutch is dead," Babcock was quick to add.

"Hopefully the lab will be able to find something that will help us more than that," Dobey grumbled. "We still don't know what happened to Hutch."

"At least until Starsky is able to tell us what happened," Minnie pointed out softly.

"If he's able to tell us anything," Dobey reminded her. "We still have no idea what his mental condition is going to be like when he does wake up."

All eyes turned to the man lying silently on the bed. Starsky lay there without moving. Removing the restraints appeared to have calmed his earlier agitation and restlessness. The only sign that he was still alive was the hum of the machines monitoring his condition and the slow rise and fall of his battered chest. The bruises on his face were starting to fade, making his features appear even more battered than before.

"There's not much we can do here, and Starsky is in good hands with Dr. Ashton here," Dobey said. "So, I think we should go back to the motel and get some rest. We could all use it."

The others readily agreed. They were all tired. During an active investigation, they had all gone for 48 hours or more without sleep when following a hot lead. But, at the moment, they had gone as far as they could go without some further direction to guide them.

They spent the rest of the day relaxing. Babcock and Simmons went to the bar for a couple of drinks, Minnie stayed in her room and read, while Dobey called home and talked to his family. They all turned in early.

Captain Dobey was sleeping soundly when the ringing of the telephone jarred him awake. Fumbling in the dark for the receiver, he found it and lifted it to his ear.

"Dobey," He growled in a gruff tone. He was accustomed to middle-of-the-night phone calls, but he still felt a sudden burst of adrenaline as he prepared himself for bad news.

"Captain, it's Dr. Ashton. You need to get back to the hospital. David spiked a dangerously high fever and became quite aggressive. I think we'd dealing with a major infection. Hopefully I will be able to tell you more when you get here."

"Thank you, Doctor. I will be there shortly," Dobey told him even as his sleep drugged mind processed the message.

Hanging up the phone, he shoved himself out of bed and began to dress. Glancing at his watch, he saw that it was just after two A.M. He decided to let the others sleep. He would go to the hospital alone. They needed their rest, and there was no point in all of them losing a night's sleep.

When he reached the hospital, he was startled to find Starsky's room empty. Stepping back into the hall, he stopped a passing nurse.

"Excuse me, can you tell me where Detective Starsky is?"

"The patient has been taken to surgery. I'm afraid that's all I know. If you want to have a seat in the waiting room, I'm sure the doctor will be with you as soon as he can."

"Thank you."

Dobey continued on down the hall to waiting room. He settled his bulk into one of the leather chairs and began his lonely vigil, a vigil he had gone through more times than he cared to remember during his twenty some years with the force. And far too many times, those vigils had involved Starsky, Hutch, or both of them.

As he waited, he prayed. A religious man, Dobey relied on his faith at times like this. He truly believed that God could perform miracles. He had seen too many unexplained things in his lifetime not to believe that.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Hours passed before a weary looking Dr. Ashton finally approached Captain Dobey and said, "He's alive…but his condition is still critical. He had a major infection that got into his blood stream and could easily have killed him, but we caught it in time. We did have to remove part of his lower intestine and one of his kidneys has shut down. We are hoping with rest and proper medication, the kidney will restore itself. I'm afraid we'll have to sedate him again. We need for him to stay as quiet and calm as possible for a few days at least."

"Can I see him?'

"As soon as he's out of recovery, I'll have the nurse take you to him."

"Thank you, Doctor." Dobey watched the doctor walk away. He sighed heavily and tried to ignore the rumbling of his stomach. He wondered how many more setbacks Starsky could take in his weakened condition.

Before leaving the hospital, he found Dr. Ashton to speak to him further about the latest development in Starsky's condition.

"This will set things back a bit, but as long as his condition remains stable over the next two days, then I still think we will be able to safely transport him back to Bay City on Friday," Dr. Ashton informed him.

Dobey nodded and slowly turned to walk down the hall to the elevators. He wanted to go home, but duty demanded that he stay with his fallen officer for as long as he was needed. Back at the motel, he informed the others on Starsky's condition.

Minnie volunteered to go back to the hospital to sit with Starsky, while Babcock and Simmons went to talk to the sheriff to see if there were any new developments in the expanded search of the area where they suspected Starsky and Hutch had been held. As news leaked out about Starsky and the search for his missing partner, local volunteers had come forward to offer their help.

Dobey took the opportunity to call home.

"Hello, darling," he greeted his wife when she picked up the phone.

"Oh, Harold! How are you? How's David? Any news on Ken?"

Dobey chuckled softly. "I'm fine. David is still quite ill, but hopefully we will be able to bring him back to Bay City on Friday. And, no, we still don't have any news on Ken."

"I miss you."

"I miss you too. How are the kids?"

"Cal got an A on his physics exam, and Rosie was picked to play the lead in her school play."

"The lead, huh?" Dobey smiled with pride at the news. His twelve-year-old daughter was already talking about a career in acting when she graduated from high school. "When is the play?"

"March 17th, so you better make sure and mark it on your calendar."

"I will. I promise. I wouldn't miss it."

"You sound tired," Edith Dobey said with wifely concern.

"I am. I wish could be home with you and the kids."

"I know, but David needs you. Now more than ever. We understand, and we'll be fine until you come home."

"I love you."

"I love you. Get some sleep."

"I will." Dobey hung up and decided to take his wife's advice. He stretched out on his bed and was asleep within minutes.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

At the hospital, Minnie sipped her coffee as she sat at Starsky's side. His face was still gaunt and bruised, but the swelling had gone down, and his familiar features were starting to emerge. She let her eyes focus on the gentle rise and fall of his chest, comforted by the sight. She let her thoughts drift back to that fateful day five years ago when Starsky and Hutch had left the station after their shift, then simply vanished.

There had been no signs of a break-in at either one of their apartments, and both of their vehicles were parked in their usual spots at each home. Hutch's mail was still in his box, but Starsky's had been collected and laid on his coffee table unopened.

The department had spared no expense or manpower trying to find the two men, but there simply weren't any leads to follow. It was as if they had simply disappeared into thin air. The hours became days, the days became weeks, and the weeks turned into months. Eventually, the case had gone cold and other cases took priority. They were gone, but not forgotten. Some of the officers who knew them best, like Babcock and Simmons, had continued the investigation as time allowed, but eventually they became too busy with other cases and professional obligations, too.

As the years passed, everyone just assumed they were dead and that nobody would ever know exactly what had happened to them. They had made enough enemies during their career to make the list of suspects with a motive to kill them so long that it boggled the mind. Life had gone on, and their memories had been stored away in the minds of those closest to them.

Their families had held a memorial service for them and quietly grieved for their sons. Hutch's parents were still living in Minnesota, but Starsky's mother had died, and his brother, Nick, was in prison doing a fifteen-year stretch for armed robbery.

"Oh, baby…" Minnie whispered to a comatose Starsky. "I've missed you so much…you and Hutch both…please wake up…"

Minnie noticed a twitch in Starsky's cheek. For a moment, hope flared, but then it faded when he gave no conscious sign that he had actually heard her. She smiled sadly and caressed the back of his hand, comforted by the warmth of the skin beneath her fingers. He was alive, and that was all that mattered to Minnie.

She smiled fondly. Starsky had always been an outrageous flirt, and Minnie had secretly enjoyed their playful banter. Between them, both men had dated every eligible woman in the department. They were young, handsome, and they were both gentlemen: a dangerous combination that any woman would find attractive.

They were also the best of friends, closer than brothers. That was one of the reasons for the phenomenal success of their partnership. But, it also left them with only a limited outside support system that they could rely on. That was the way they wanted it and that was how they had lived their lives.

Now Starsky had been found, but Hutch was still missing. If Starsky recovered from his injuries, how would he manage without Hutch at his side? Would he will himself to die rather than go on alone without the other half of his soul? It was a question that Minnie hoped she would never have to find out the answer to. In her heart, she believed that Hutch was still alive, out there somewhere, and that it would only be a matter of time before he was found, or before he found Starsky. Minnie believed in miracles, especially when it came to these two.

Minnie's attention immediately turned to Starsky who was making soft noises as he turned his head from side to side restlessly. Trying to reassure the unconscious man, Minnie reached out and began to rub the back of his left hand.

"It's okay, baby...just relax..." she soothed him in a soft, quiet voice. "You're in the hospital and you're going to be okay."

Starsky became more agitated and Minnie picked out some almost indistinguishable words from the noises he was making. _Pain...no...black...coffee... _None of them made sense but Minnie made note of them anyway.

As she continued rubbing his hand, Starsky seemed to relax and fell silent once more. Minnie sighed, she had been hoping for a break through in his condition but it appeared to have simply been a momentary lapse into another level of conscicousness.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

_Pain, so much pain. God, make it stop! Where am I? Slow, gasps of air, struggling to pull oxygen into tortured lungs. A sigh of resignation, a single word whispered with a final breath "Staarrskkkyyyy..."_

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Minnie strolled down the main street of Cedar Creek, looking in the windows and enjoying the day. She had just left the hospital but didn't feel like returning to her motel room, so she decided a leisurely walk was in order.

Cedar Creek didn't have the huge department stories and other businesses that a city like Bay City had. The shops here were small and quaint, each one unique in its own way. There were dress shops, antique stores, a candy story, a little cafe, an old-fashioned ice cream parlor, a drug store, a five-and-dime, and a business that advertised both dance lessons and music lessons.

Although the town was pleasant and everyone was friendly and outgoing, Minnie was too much of city girl to ever be comfortable living in such a small town. Still, there was a part of her that envied the ones who did, for the familiarity and closeness the residents seem to share with one another. The apparent lack of crime was also a point in the town's favor, if nothing else.

Minnie smiled when the young woman who had helped them came out of one of the stores.

"Hello," Minnie said. "Willow isn't it?"

"Yes, and you're one of the police officers from the city." The young woman returned Minnie's smile.

"Yes."

"I heard that you think you found the place where your friend was being held."

"Yes, thanks to you and your grandfather."

"I am glad we could help."

"Could I buy you a cup of coffee? I don't feel like going back to the motel just yet."

"All right. I have a couple of hours before I have to go to work."

"Where would you suggest?" Minnie asked with a smile. "This is your town, not mine."

"Jake's diner is about the only place in town besides the soda fountain," Willow replied with a grin. "He makes decent cup of coffee."

"Then Jake's it is," Minnie said agreeably.

The two women had to cross the street to reach the diner. As they stood waiting for a break in the traffic, Minnie noticed a man lingering in an alley between the cafe and an adjacent building. He was dressed in shabby clothes that were faded and torn. Long, dark hair streaked with gray hung around his shoulders. His face was worn and deeply wrinkled, partially hidden by the shadows in the alley. But still, something about the obviously homeless man held Minnie's interest.

"Who is that?" Minnie drew Willow's attention to the man.

'Oh, that's just old Charlie. Nobody knows his real name. Jake leaves leftovers in the alley for him, some of the other stores leave stuff out for him, too, from time to time. He's harmless enough. He doesn't bother anybody and stays to himself."

"Is he from around here?"

"Nobody knows. He just showed up about a year ago, and he's been hanging around ever since. He doesn't seem to take to people very well; nobody's ever been able to get close enough to him to even talk to him. But, like I said, he's harmless enough, so nobody bothers him."

As the two women crossed the street, the man disappeared into the alley, but Minnie could still feel eyes on her as they reached the opposite side of the street and went into the cafe.

The two woman sat at a small booth in the back. They both ordered coffee and settled back for a chat.

"Have you lived here all your life?" Minnie asked.

"Born and raised here," Willow answered. "My people tend to stay put and not wander far from home."

"So, you have family here besides your grandfather."

"No," Willow said, her eyes clouding with sorrow. "My parents and my little bother and sister were killed in a car accident when I was ten. My grandfather finished raising me. He's the only family I have left."

"I'm so sorry," Minnie apologized. "I didn't mean to bring up painful memories for you."

"It's all right. It was a long time ago." Willow replied graciously. "What about you? Do you have family back in the city?"'

"Not really." Minnie admitted. "My parents died a few years ago, and I have a younger brother, but we aren't that close. We see each on special occasions...birthdays, Christmas, that sort of thing. The rest of the time we're both busy with our own lives."

"No husband, no boyfriend?"

"Not at the moment. You?"

"No. I'm in no hurry to settle down to one man," Willow said with a laugh. "Grandfather says I am too independent for my own good."

"Me neither," Minnie agreed with a laugh of her own. "My job keeps me too busy for a serious relationship."

"It must be interesting being a police officer."

"It can be. I usually work in the computer room doing research and that sort of thing. It's interesting, and I enjoy it."

"And you don't have to worry about getting shot at."

"You got that right."

"The man in the hospital...he is a friend?"

"Yes, a very close friend...a special friend." When Willow arched an eyebrow at her comment, Minnie quickly added, "Not that kind of friend. Just someone I know I can talk to and depend on no matter what. Someone who would always be there for me.''

"I hope he's going to be okay."

"I hope so. The doctors are optimistic."

"Will you be leaving town soon?"

"Hopefully by the weekend. It all depends on if Starsky is able to be safely moved back to the city."

Willow glanced at her watch and said, "I 'm afraid I have to go. It's been nice talking to you. I hope everything turns out the way you hope."

The two women left money on the table for their coffee and walked out of the cafe together. Willow went in one direction while Minnie lingered on the sidewalk, lost in her own thoughts. Thoughts that turned back to the man she had seen in the alley. She couldn't figure out why she couldn't get him out of her mind.

Impulsively, she turned and walked to the mouth of the alley. It stretched back between the two buildings, the farthest depths hidden by heavy dark shadows with just a faint light at the opposite end. The alley was littered with broken bottles, overflowing trashcans, discarded beer cans, and cigarette butts. Minnie could hear the rustling and high-pitched squeak of the rats that called the alley their home.

"Hello?" Minnie called. "Is there anyone there?"

There was only silence, not that Minnie had really expected anyone to answer. Still. every instinct she had as a cop and as a woman told her that the homeless man still lingered somewhere deep in the shadows, watching her with suspicious eyes. Perhaps longing for human companionship and contact, but not trusting anyone enough to let them get close.

Back in Bay City, Minnie had volunteered with a group that worked with the homeless, providing them with clothes and food. She knew that each of them had their own individual story, and that some of them had once led busy, successful lives before misfortune led to their downfall. Some of them were willing to accept their fate, while others struggled to rise above their present circumstances.

Was is Minnie's instinctive compassion for the homeless that led her to focus on the man she had seen in the alley earlier, or was there something else that attracted her attention? With a soft sigh, she turned away and continued walking to the motel, dismissing the man in the alley from her thoughts, at least for the moment.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

**A/N sorry for the delay in posting. I was in the hospital with a combination of the flu and pneumonia.**

The man that the town people had christened Ole Charlie shuffled through the alleyways until he reached the edge of town. Quietly, he slipped into the woods that bordered the outskirts of town. Deep in the woods was his secret place. His sanctuary where he felt safe and secure.

A crude shelter from the elements was constructed between two trees, pieced together from wood he had found in town. Outside the shelter was a rudely constructed fire pit, plastic jugs filled with water, and a couple of make shift traps he used to catch small game. He knelt down and entered the coolness of the shelter. Inside, several ragged blankets lay on the ground, and in one corner was a pile of old clothes. In another corner of the shelter stood a small table with three legs that someone in town had thrown away. A large piece of wood had been used in place of the missing leg. On it was stacked a few cracked dishes and two old cups.

Wary eyes swept around the inside of the shelter, looking for any signs that his living quarters had been disturbed while he was gone. Satisfied that everything was in order; he sighed and sat down cross-legged on the blankets that served as his bed. His mind focused on the woman he had seen in town. Something about her seemed to spark dormant memories of another time, another life. But, the memories were fleeting, gone as quickly as they came, not lingering long enough to make any sense.

He knew that he had not always lived like this. That there was a time, another lifetime ago, that things were different. But those memories were clouded and hidden in the shadows of his mind, too painful to think about or remember. He rose to his feet, his left knee protesting the movement, a dim reminder of an old injury from another time.

He walked over to one wall of his shelter where he had hung a piece of broken mirror he'd found somewhere. He stared at his reflection in the faded glass. His face was thin and haggard, the skin darkened by the sun, with deep lines around his eyes and the corners of his mouth. Blue eyes stared back at him, eyes that had seen more than most people would see in a lifetime. His fingers reached out to push back the thin, blonde hair from the side of his face to reveal a jagged, two-or three-inch scar that ran from his hairline to the corner of his left eye.

Other scars covered his body, hidden by his ragged clothes. Scars from old injuries he couldn't remember. He couldn't remember much of anything. Too long without human companionship had dulled his senses and made him afraid of any human contact. Sometimes, he had fleeting memory of someone that used to stand at his side, always there, someone he knew would protect him and stand with him. His dreams were haunted by shadowy images of someone else that he longed to reach out for, but he didn't know where to find them. He would awaken with a start, unshed tears stinging his eyes and his heart breaking, his mind telling him that the person in his dreams was dead and that he would always be alone.

He turned away from the mirror and bowed his head. This was his life, and he accepted that. Each day brought him closer to death, a death that he longed to embrace so he could finally be free of the torment and uncertainty that he lived with every day.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Back at the hospital in town, Minnie sat at Starsky's bedside. Every day she prayed for him to open his eyes even though she knew that the doctors were keeping him in a medically induced coma for his own safety and the safety of the medical staff.

His numerous injuries had been treated and were slowly healing, but it was his mind that still concerned the doctors. Whenever they tried reducing the meds, he would become agitated and aggressive, terrified of his surroundings and reacting violently to any human touch. The staff psychologist felt that his mind was damaged beyond repair from whatever had happened to him, a notion that Captain Dobey and his other friends firmly resisted. Dr Ashton felt that by the end of the week, Starsky's physical condition should be improved enough that he could safely be returned to Bay City by ambulance. 

Once there, he would be taken to a private sanitarium where not only his physical condition but his mental one as well could be assessed and treated. Dr Ashton was still optimistic that Starsky could eventually recover; it was only the time frame that remained in question.

Minnie glanced towards the doorway when Captain Dobey appeared in the archway. He handed her a cup of coffee and a carry-out bag from the local cafe. She smiled her thanks when she opened the bag to find an order of fries, a double cheeseburger, and a container of coleslaw.

"Thanks, Cap," she said as she dug the fries out of the bag and began to eat.

"How is he?' Dobey asked as he sat in the chair on the opposite side of the bed.

"Still the same," Minnie told him with a soft sigh. "Is Doc Ashton still planning to take him back to Bay City this weekend?'

"Yes, as long as there are no complications between now and then."

"Do you think he'll ever be the old Starsky again?"

"I hope so. All we can do is pray and put our faith in God to get him through this." Dobey was a deeply religious man who believed in miracles. He had seen them occur throughout his career, especially when it came to Starsky and Hutch.

"Even if he does get better, what about Hutch? I can't see Starsky without Hutch."

"I know, but we're no closer to finding Hutch now than we were in the beginning," Dobey reminded her solemnly.

"I know. I just wish we knew what happened to him so we could all have some kind of closure." The vision of the homeless man in the alley flashed through her mind. "When I was downtown earlier, I ran into Willow and was talking to her when I noticed this homeless man in the alley looking through trash cans. Willow said he showed up around a year ago. The townspeople call him Ole Charlie. Nobody knows who he is or where he came from. Apparently he won't let anyone get too close to him, so nobody has ever talked to him. A lot of the store owners leave food and stuff out for him." Minnie paused for a moment to gather her thought before continuing. "I didn't get a good look at him because the alley was dark, but he was tall, about Hutch's height, and he had blonde hair, but it was dark, not light like Hutch's. Still..."

"That's quite a stretch if you're thinking it could be Hutch,"

"I know. I guess it's just wishful thinking, but if we're going to be here for a few more days, what's the harm in checking it out?" Minnie suggested

"No harm, I suppose. Just don't get your hopes up. I doubt very much that your homeless man will turn out to be Hutch."

"I know, but I'm going crazy just sitting here waiting for something to happen."

"Just be careful. If this man is as reclusive as Willow told you, he could be dangerous."

"I'll be careful, and I can take care of myself. I had some good teachers over the years." Minnie smiled fondly. Two of those teachers had been Starsky and Hutch. They had taught her self defense techniques that they didn't teach in the academy, and Starsky had taught her the basics of down and dirty street fighting. She definitely could take care of herself.

"I think I'm going back to the hotel so I can call home," Dobey said as he pushed his bulk up from the chair.

"Thanks for the food," Minnie said as she continued to enjoy her meal.

About an hour after the Captain left, Simmons and Babcock arrived to relieve her. After exchanging greetings, Minnie left the hospital.

Instead of returning to her motel room, she decided to go the tavern where Willow worked and talk to the younger woman some more about the homeless man they called Ole Charlie.

Since it was a Wednesday night, the tavern wasn't busy. Most of the customers were either locals having a bite to eat before going home or power drinkers who spent their life sitting on a bar stool and drinking their life away.

Willow smiled when she saw Minnie come into the bar. She motioned her to an empty booth the corner of the bar. Minnie nodded and took a seat. Willow immediately appeared with two tall glasses of iced tea and a platter of nacho chips with spiced beef and cheese. She sat the platter on the table and slid into the booth across from Minnie.

"You're in luck," Willow told her. "I'm on my supper break, so we can talk." She slid one of the glasses in front of Minnie and kept the second one for herself. "I heard you're planning on returning home this weekend."

"That's right," Minnie said. "I like your town, and you've all been so nice, but I can't wait to get home."

"I know the feeling," Willow said with a laugh.

"Actually, I was wondering if you could tell me more about the man in the alley earlier.,.Ole Charlie."

"I really don't know much. What do you want to know?"

"You said he just showed up in town around a year ago?"

"Something like that. One day he was just there. He looked so thin, and he was walking with limp like his leg was hurt, but he wouldn't let anyone get close enough to him to find out."

"You said he seemed to be afraid of people."

"That's right. Anytime anyone tried to get too close, he'd run away, so everybody just stopped trying to approach him. Everyone felt sorry for him, so a some of us here got together and started leaving stuff out for him...food, clothes...anything we thought he might need or could use. Before long other people in town started leaving him stuff too."

"Do you have any idea where he sleeps?'

"Not really, but I think it's probably somewhere in the woods. Some local kids tried to follow him one day. They said he disappeared into the woods, and they lost him. One of the boys was the Chief's son and he said that the way he lost them made him think that Charlie knew how to lose somebody if they were following him"

'But nobody in town has ever talked to him or gotten close enough to him to really get a good look at him?"

"Only little Mary Alice Rhodes. She wandered off one day and got lost. When they finally found her she said the nice man in the woods had found her and helped her find her way out. She was only five at the time, so she really couldn't tell anyone much. She said he did talk to her and told her that he wouldn't hurt her, and that he just wanted to help her get back home. The only other thing she told her parents was that she wasn't scared of him."

Minnie felt the hair on the back of her arms stand up. The descriptions she was hearing from Willow reminded her so much of Hutch that she felt a sudden overwhelming feeling that Charlie could be Starsky's missing partner.

"How old do you think he is?"

"That's hard to say since I've never seen him that close. He could be anywhere from 40 to 60," Willow said. "Why are you so interested in Charlie anyway?"

"Just curious I guess," Minnie said evasively. "I work with some homeless shelters back in Bay City, and I'm always interested in their stories about how they ended up on the streets."

"Things like that don't happen with my people. Family sticks together and takes care of each other. Even if someone leaves, they know they can always come back. They will always have a home."

"Unfortunately a lot of the people I see back in the city don't have that kind of support system."

"I'd like to see somebody help Charlie who could really do some good. We all do what we can but he needs so much more than we can give him. I feel sorry for him having to live like that." Willow said. She finished her tea and put it on the empty tray. "I have to get back to work. It's been nice talking to you. I hope I get to see you again before you leave town."

"So do I," Minnie said with a sincere smile. She genuinely liked the young woman and


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

Charlie's gaze followed the petite woman with the dark hair and glasses, even as he slipped back into the shadows where he couldn't be seen by her. He watched as she paused outside of her motel room to talk to a mustached, heavy-set black man. There was something about these two people that didn't frighten him like most humans did, still he wasn't about to get too close to either of them.

When the lady walked away heading towards town, he followed at a discreet distance. He watched as she stopped on the street to talk to the pretty Indian girl who always left him good things to eat when she was working. When she continued on her way, Charlie continued following her. He watched as she entered a large grey stone building that had a sign outside identifying it as a hospital.

Charlie drew back with a scowl. Instinctively he knew that he did not like places like that. The people inside hurt you. Absently, he rubbed at a long-forgotten scar on his left forearm. Still, he felt drawn to this place, a strange tugging sensation in his chest telling him there was something inside that building that compelled him to stay. He chewed on his lower lip as his eyes drifted to the woods in the distance. His sanctuary, his safe place. He wanted to bolt, to run to safety, but he stayed, patiently waiting for the dark-haired lady to come out.

He found himself creeping closer and closer to the entrance until he was near enough to hear scraps of conversations between people entering and exiting the building. He stayed in the shadows where he couldn't be seen so he wouldn't draw attention to himself. His heart was pounding and his palms sweaty. This was the first time he had allowed himself to get so close to other people in a very, very long time. Another lifetime. Another place.

Finally, the woman came out of the building, but she wasn't alone. She was with two other men. The three of them seemed to be friendly. One of them men was excited about something.

"I'm telling you," he told his companions, "It was weird. Just before you got here, Min, it was like Starsky was trying to wake up. But, he couldn't, ya know? Because of the drugs the docs keep giving him. But, he wasn't agitated like the other times; it was as if he waiting for something…or someone…"

Charlie's heart pounded frantically, and his head felt like it was going to explode. In a shallow whisper, he said, "Starsky…" His knees buckled, and he fell to the ground, unconscious.

Minnie heard a sound to her left, as if someone had fallen, and immediately turned to investigate. Behind a large pillar at the front of the building, she found the crumpled figure lying on the ground. From the dirty, ragged clothes and lean, almost emaciated body, she knew that it was the man that the town people had named Charlie.

"Is that your mystery man?" Babcock asked her as he and Simmons appeared behind her.

"Yes, he's the homeless man that Willow said everyone in town calls Charlie." Minnie knelt beside him and gently pressed two fingers against his neck. "His pulse is strong. I think he just passed out." she said in a relieved voice.

Unable to let the opportunity pass, she did a quick visual assessment of the man and his condition. He was the same height as Hutch and had the same bone structure. And now that she was this close to him, she could see that his hair was blond, not brown as she had originally thought. It was simply so dirty and tangled, that it looked darker. Her heart began to beat harder as she raised one corner of his shirt to reveal a long jagged scar on his lower left side. Further examination of the skin just below his left collarbone, revealed a familiar round, indented scar. A scar that could only have been left by a bullet. Excitement growing, Minnie examined his neck and found two evenly spaced moles, almost entirely hidden by the ingrained dirt on his skin and the length of his hair.

"Oh, my god!" she exclaimed in a shocked voice. "Hutch…"

"Are you sure?" Simmons asked cautiously.

"As sure as I am of my own name," Minnie said confidently, her eyes gleaming with excitement. "It's Hutch…I know it is. Get a doctor. Let's get him inside."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Twenty minutes later, Captain Dobey listened to Minnie's story with stunned amazement. He had no doubt that Hutch had been found. But, it didn't sound as if his condition was any better than Starsky's. At the moment, he was till being examined by a doctor and being cleaned up by the medical team as they assessed his condition.

It was another forty-five minutes before they were finally joined by a doctor.

"I'm Doctor Lawrence," said the man with the boyish smile and long hair that was pulled back into a pony tail. If it weren't for his white lab coat and name tag identifying him as a doctor, he could easily have been mistaken for just another visitor. "First of all, let me reassure you that despite his appearance, the patient is relatively healthy, although he is at least 30 to 40 pounds underweight. He's also much younger than I had originally assumed. At first he appeared to be in his mid to late fifties, but once my staff got him cleaned up a bit, it is apparent that he's more than likely in his early forties."

"But, he's going to be all right?" Minnie asked the question that was on everyone's mind.

"With time, some food, and proper care, he should be alright. However, at the moment, he is sedated. He started to come around while we were examining him, and he became so agitated and violent that I was forced to sedate him, not only his own safety but also the safety of my staff."

"That's understandable." Dobey said with a nod of his head.

"I know all about Charlie and his history. I've seen him around town a few times. I understand that you think he might be another one of your missing police officers?"

"That's correct," Dobey said. "Detective Sergeant Kenneth Hutchinson. He is Detective 's partner."

"That would make sense. He shows some of the same scars as Detective Starsky on his wrists and ankles that suggest being forcibly detained for a length of time. There are also old scars and injuries that healed without medical intervention that suggest a certain amount of torture and abuse."

"Would it be possible to put him in the same room as Detective Starsky?"

"Normally there is only one person at a time in the ICU rooms. May I ask why you would like them together?"

"You don't know these two, Doctor," Dobey said with a slight chuckle. "It's as if they are two parts of the same whole. All I know is that when one of them is hurt, they heal faster when the other one is at their side. And, there has been more than once where they are involved that I am positive one of them would have died if the other one hadn't been there. Just like I am also positive that if one was dead, the other one wouldn't be that far behind. They are that close and that connected."

"I see. I will talk to Detective Starsky's doctor, and as long as he has no objections, then neither do I."

"Believe me he won't object." Dobey said with a smile. "His primary doctor from Bay City is here and he is well aware of these two and their history."

"Alright. It will take an hour or so to get him moved and settled in. Why don't you all go home and get some rest? I'll have someone call you if there is any change."

"Forgive me, doctor," Dobey said, "But, since we still have no idea what happened to these men for them to end up like this or how they escaped their captivity, one us will be staying with them at all times until they can be moved back to Bay City."

The doctor nodded. "That's understandable. I'll finish making the necessary arrangements. If you'll wait here, I'll have a nurse let you know when they are settled in a room."

"Thank you," Dobey said as he reached out to shake the doctor's hand. Babcock and Simmons did the same. Minnie thanked him with a huge smile.

As the doctor walked away, Minnie spoke up,

"Captain, I'd like to take the first watch."

"If you're sure you feel up to it."

"Oh, believe me, I feel up to it." Minnie assured him with a broad grin. Now that Hutch had been found and he was back together with Starsky, she had no doubt that both men would finally start to heal and come back to their friends and loved ones. It was just a matter of time.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

Minnie quietly stepped into the room. She smiled faintly as she looked around at the machines that had been rearranged to allow room for a second bed to be put into the room. Her eyes filled with unshed tears when her gaze turned to the two men lying side by side in the two beds in the middle of the room. Starsky and Hutch. Together again at last.

Although both men were still unconscious and heavily sedated to keep them that way, Minnie could swear that their faces seemed to look younger and more at peace, as if on a fundamental level, they each knew that the other one was close by. She prayed that the unique bond they shared was strong enough to get them through this crisis just like it had so many times in the past. This would be the ultimate test of the two hearts that seemed to beat as one.

Minnie sat down in a chair that had been conveniently placed between the two beds. From her vantage point, she could not only see both men at the same time, she could also reach out and touch them. Just being able to feel the warmth of their skin under her fingertips made her feel good.

As she sat there between her two friends, she suddenly noticed that each man's head was turned slightly, Starsky to the right and Hutch to the left, so that both men were actually facing each other even though they were both unconscious.

"That's right, guys…" Minnie whispered, "You're together again. Now do your thing."

She glanced toward the doorway as Dr. Ashton entered the room. Shortly before they had disappeared, Hutch had also become one of his patients. He was well aware of both men's extensive and complicated medical histories. He smiled warmly when he saw Minnie standing guard over her two charges.

"You can put your mind at ease, they are both doing fine," he told Minnie as he moved to Starsky's side and did a routine check of his vital signs. "David's vitals are strong, and his injuries are healing nicely."

"And Hutch?"

"He's doing quite well, considering his condition. He is severely underweight and has a mild respiratory infection, but it's not serious. It can easily be treated with antibiotics. He's also anemic, but that's because of his poor diet, and once he starts getting some decent food that will clear up. He has similar injuries, old scars and untreated injuries that didn't get proper medical care that indicate he was held in circumstances similar to the ones David was held in, and that he was subjected to similar abuses during a long period of captivity."

Dr Ashton moved to Hutch's side and did a similar exam. Satisfied with the results, he continued, "Right now, the main concern for Ken is the same one we have for David and that is his mental status. From the reports I've been told about his recent activities, it would appear that Ken is at least aware enough to forage for food and shelter and care for his basic needs. But, his distrust of human contact could indicate a more serious mental condition that could hinder his recovery. All we can do is wait and see."

"So what now?"

"We'll slowly cut back on the sedation and let them wake up. We'll do it gradually so we can control any violent or aggressive behavior such as we have seen in David whenever we've reduced his sedation in the past few weeks."

"And if they're too aggressive or violent?"

"Then I'll have no choice but to keep them sedated and have them transferred to a facility that specializes in working with patients with this type of mental disorder."

"So they're still not out of the woods," Minnie said in a disappointed voice.

"We just don't know yet. I'm sorry.'

"It's not your fault," Minnie said tartly. "It's the bastards that did this to them who are to blame."

"Any further clues as to whom that might be?"

"None. Unless Starsky or Hutch can identify them, we may never know who did this or why."

"I hope you can find them. They need to pay for what they've done," Dr. Ashton said grimly.

"I agree completely. But, right now our hands are tied, and we've reached a dead end."

"I'm going to make some phone calls and consult with some of my colleagues," the doctor told her. "Maybe one of them will have some suggestions that might help. Meanwhile I think we can safely have them moved to a private room, either later tonight or tomorrow morning."

Minnie nodded. "Thanks, Doc." She watched the doctor leave the room and then she turned her attention back to her charges.

The afternoon passed slowly with no major changes in either man's condition or level of awareness. Minnie passed the time watching TV with the volume turned down low. Dr. Ashton stopped by just before the supper hour with news.

"We will be moving the guys to a private room on the second floor tomorrow morning. I also spoke to a colleague in Bay City who works for a facility called The Beckman Institute that specializes in working with patients who have mental disorders as a result of severe trauma or abuse. I can arrange to have Starsky and Hutch transferred there the middle of next week. That will give us time to evaluate their conditions as we lower the level of sedation."

"Good," Minnie said. "Now, it's all up to them." At least progress was finally being made and Minnie was positive that things would start looking up soon.

Later that evening, she was relieved of duty by an officer from the local force who had been hand picked by the chief of police. She joined Simmons and Babcock in Captain Dobey's room for a daily debriefing.

"I contacted the Chief of Police and the Commissioner as soon as we positively identified Hutch," Dobey told her. "They are cutting through the red tape to get the boys declared alive and to reinstate them so that their medial insurance will help cover their expenses."

"That's good. What about Hutch's parents?" Minnie asked.

"I spoke to them a little bit ago. They are thrilled that Hutch is still alive and are planning to fly to Bay City immediately. Dr. Hutchinson is planning on consulting with Dr. Ashton and the doctors at the Beckman Institute about Hutch's condition. He is also offering to cover all of Ken and Dave's medical expenses until the red tape is taken care of to reinstate them."

"He did the same thing for Starsky after Gunther put out the hit on him and Hutch. That was what helped mend the estrangement between him and Hutch," Minnie said.

"There's no doubt that the man has the money," Dobey grunted.

"It's too bad that he couldn't put it to better use sooner. All it ever did before was come between him and Hutch."

"That's all water under the bridge now," Dobey said. "Disappearing the way he did, and assuming he was dead all this time and then finding out that he's still alive had to be a massive shock for his parents. It was for all of us. It's a true miracle."

"Amen to that." Minnie said with a smile. "It's too bad that Starsky's mom didn't live long enough to see this day come."

"And that brother of his is cooling his heels in state prison," Babcock said gruffly "They hadn't seen each other in almost five years before the guys disappeared and Nicky was already in over his head with the mob."

"When Starsky and Hutch first disappeared didn't they investigate Nicky's involvement with the mob to see if it had any connection with their disappearance?" Simmons asked

"Yes," Minnie said quietly "But, it was a dead end. It was the last lead they had and when it turned out to be a dead end, that's when the case went cold."

"I never did trust that brother of his" Babcock said. "I only met Nicky once but he was just a little too cocky and full of himself to suit me."

"It was hard to believe that they were brothers" Minnie agreed ruefully. She sighed heavily, lost in her own thoughts. The three officers returned to their own rooms for the evening while Dobey placed his nightly phone call home to his family.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

The next few days were a flurry of activity as preparations were made to move Starsky and Hutch back to Bay City. Besides the arrangements that needed to be made to transport them safely, the doctors also began to gradually reduce the medications that were keeping the two partners unconscious. Their reactions were being carefully monitored for any signs of violence or aggression from with either Starsky or Hutch as their levels of awareness returned.

As expected, Hutch was the first one to start showing increased signs of alertness. His restlessness increased and soft whimpering sounds could be heard occasionally. Minnie was sitting with him when his eyes fluttered and then slowly opened. His gaze drifted around the room before finally settling on her face.

Minnie saw the fear that settled in those ice blue eyes and watched as his muscles tensed. In a gentle, soothing tone, she said, "Shhhhh….baby, it's all right. It's just me…Mama Minnie…you're safe. You're in the hospital…nobody's going to hurt you…"

Hutch's head slowly turned to the side, as if instinctively seeking out the one he needed the most. As his eyes rested on Starsky's face, a sense of peace and serenity seemed to settle over him. Minnie smiled and said in an encouraging tone, "That's right…you're with Starsky. He's going to be okay too. It's just going to take some time. You're both safe now. Just relax and rest now."

Hutch's eyes slowly drifted closed as he appeared to fall into a peaceful, natural slumber. Only then did Minnie dare to reach out and gently rub the back of the big blond's hand. "That's right, Hutch…just rest…its okay now. Everything is going to be okay."

It was late that evening before Starsky began to show signs of his own that he was starting to wake up. Unlike Hutch, he was more agitated and restless, tossing his head from side to side and breathing heavily. Sensing his agitation, Hutch began to show signs of waking up as if he knew his partner was in distress.

Hutch's eyes snapped open and he struggled to sit up in bed. Minnie automatically reached out and steadied him, while soothing him with her voice. She was pleased when Hutch allowed her touch without flinching or pulling away. Without thinking about it, Minnie unlocked the wheels on his bed and pushed it closer to Starsky's side, so that Hutch could reach out and touch his partner and friend.

Hutch reached out, a big hand settling gently on Starsky's right forearm. In a voice that was hoarse and cracked from disuse, he whispered "It's okay, Starsk…it's me. Hutch. I'm here…I'm here."

Minnie smiled, feeling privileged to witness the miracle that was Starsky and Hutch, as the sound of Hutch's voice and the touch of his hand, automatically began to settle the disturbed brunet. Within minutes, both men had settled into a peaceful slumber.

Minnie felt a surge of joy, confident that her two friends would be okay. As long as they were together, nothing could bring these two men down. The worst of the situation, physically, for the two men might be over but it still could be a long road to recovery.

Still, in her heart, Minnie knew that the two of them together, side by side, could conquer anything. Smiling broadly, she settled back in her chair to continue her watch.

The next morning Hutch was alert enough to eat solid food. After a few tentative bites, his brain seemed to remember what to do, and he wolfed down the tray in no time. Pleased with his returning appetite, the nurse was more than happy to get him seconds. He started eating the second tray, even though he ate more slowly than he did with the first.

The smell of food seemed to revive Starsky who shifted restlessly in bed and slowly opened his eyes. Moving to his side, the nurse attempted to feed him a few bites of food, but he bared his teeth and batted her hand away. Something that sounded suspiciously like a growl emerged from his throat. The nurse immediately stepped back from the bed.

Hutch turned his attention to his friend. With slow, painstaking movements, he turned in his bed so he was facing Starsky. Locking eyes with his friend, he said softly, "Hey, buddy…it's okay. Nobody's gonna hurt you. Are you hungry?"

With a shaky hand, he picked up a piece of toast and tore off a small piece. He held it out to Starsky, waiting patiently until the brunet slowly opened his mouth and accepted the offering. Starsky chewed the food slowly, maintaining eye contact with Hutch at all times. Slowly, with infinite patience and love, Hutch fed Starsky the rest of the food on his tray. When he was done, Starsky closed his eyes and went back to sleep.

Satisfied, Hutch pushed his tray way and followed suit, closing his eyes and settling back in his bed. Minnie stared at the two men with wonder knowing that she had just witnessed another example of their remarkable bond. As had happened so many times in the past, just by being together, they were starting to heal each other.

Late that afternoon, Captain Dobey came by to try and question Hutch about his disappearance and captivity. He approached the interview slowly and with sensitivity. Hutch was alert but still skittish and wary of his surroundings. He had allowed the doctors and nurses to tend to his injuries but it was obvious that he was merely tolerating their touch. He was still poised for flight at any second.

"Hutch," Dobey said informally, "Do you remember anything about the day you and Starsky disappeared?"

Hutch was silent for several seconds, carefully thinking over the question. Finally, he said hoarsely, "Leaving work. Dropping off Starsky at his place. Going home and taking a shower. Sleep."

"Anything else?"

"Woke up…headache…tied up…dark."

"Did you know where you were?"

"No…"

"Was Starsky with you?"

"Not at first. Later."

"Do you remember how much later?" Dobey pressed on gently.

"Days…maybe couple of weeks. Kept in dark…no food…little water."

"Did you ever see whoever was holding you captive?"

"No…just voices in the dark….two sometimes three. No names."

"Did they hurt you?"

"Kicked me. Beat me with something heavy, maybe a pipe. Laughed. Burned me…cigarettes I think,"

"When did you know they had Starsky too?"

"Bad beating…knocked out…woke up…moved…Starsky there. Hurt all over."

"Was Starsky hurt too?"

Hutch nodded, closing his eyes as if he were remembering the images in his mind. "Thought he was dead."

"What else do you remember after that?"

"Pain…more beatings…burned…broken bones…every day…all the time…both of us…" Hutch's voice faltered. It was obvious that he was tiring quickly.

"You rest now, son." Dobey said deciding to bring the initial interview to an end.

Hutch nodded and turned his head away, closing his eyes and feigning sleep. Dobey nodded at Minnie and the two officers left the room. Standing in the hall outside the room, Dobey said, "Nothing we didn't already know or suspect about the original abduction."

"Except that there were at least three other men involved" Minnie pointed out.

"And they were careful, at least in the beginning, to keep Hutch from seeing them so he couldn't identify them. At the end, I doubt that they were so careful. They probably saw no need to be so cautious after having held them for so long without being caught."

"At least his memory seems to be intact" Minnie noted

"Agreed but we don't know how intact. Not yet anyway. Keep an eye on them. I'll check back later" Dobey said.

Minnie nodded and slipped back into the room to resume her duties.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

Three days later Starsky and Hutch returned to Bay City. They were transported by ambulance and as a precaution they were sedated for the trip. Dr Ashton rode in the ambulance with them while Dobey, Minnie, Simmons and Babcock followed in their vehicle.

Over the past three days, Hutch had become more alert and had begun to let down his guard more. Starsky, on the other hand, continued to refuse to allow any contact except with Hutch. He also refused to talk, growling and actually baring his teeth at anyone who got too close. Dr Ashton remained optimistic about his recovery. He was confident that Starsky's condition would improve once he was back in more familiar surroundings.

The two men were admitted to one of the best rehabilitation centers in the city, all arranged and paid for by Hutch's parents. The Webster Institute was one of the few facilities in the country that was equipped to handle patients with mental disturbances as severe as Starsky and Hutch's. Their care was focused on the patient's physical recovery as well as their mental health.

The building did not resemble a traditional hospital or long-term care center. There was nothing outside that told the public what the building was used for and the grounds were meticulous and landscaped with walkways that were decorated with flowers and neatly trimmed scrubs.

Inside it looked more like an up-scale motel with soft soothing colors, comfortable furnishing and staff members that were dressed in casual clothing instead of uniforms. The only thing that identified its true purpose was the rounded desk along the far wall at the main entrance where the staff wrote their reports and kept an eye on the call lights for the individual rooms.

Starsky and Hutch were put in a private room close to the nurse's station where they could be closely monitored for the first few days so their conditions could be assessed. Captain Dobey and the other officers from Bay City met with Dr. Ashton one last time after Starsky and Hutch were settled into their room.

"Physically, they are both recovering nicely" he assured them with a reassuring smile. "Hutch's mental status seems intact and fairly stable. I am still concerned about Starsky's mental status but I still think it will improve now that they are back in Bay City and together in a less sterile setting."

"And if it doesn't?" Minnie questioned.

"Let's not worry about that just yet. It's still too soon to tell. Things could still go either way. We should know more in a few days, maybe a week. Give them time to get settled in and evaluated, then we can go from there. I would be more worried if Starsky wasn't responding to Hutch at all. But as long he is then that is a positive sign."

"Those two have always been each other's best medicine" Dobey noted with a smile.

"I agree. I've seen it happen." Dr Ashton replied. "If I could figure out how to take advantage of the connection those two have…the way they can heal each other even when it seems hopeless…I could retire not to mention make medical history." He smiled "They're in good hands. I've arranged with the medical staff here to allow the four of you unlimited access. Any other visitors will have to be cleared by me first. I left instructions with the staff to call me immediately if there is any change in their behavior or their condition. So, let's all get some decent sleep for a change."

They all left and returned to their own homes for the first time in almost a month. Now all any of them could do was wait. Hutch still couldn't remember much about their captivity and had not been able to give them any more information than he already had. And any memories that Starsky might have were still locked somewhere in his shattered mind.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

_It was cold. Cold and dark. Fear twisted his guts into knots as he tried to find his way through the maze. He was alone. Alone and afraid. How did he get here? Where was here? And how could he get back home? His whole body hurt, it was hard to breath and he was tired, so tired. With a sob, he fell to his knees. Lifting his head, he screamed in a ragged voice, "Hutchhhhh…"_

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Hutch's eyes snapped open. His breathing was heavy and his heart pounded. A moan from the bed beside him alerted him to Starsky's distress. Easing himself out of his bed, he made his way to his partner's side. Reaching out he took Starsky's hand and gripped it tightly. "Hey, buddy…it's okay. You're safe now. We're both safe now." At the sound of his voice, Starsky immediately began to calm down and his breathing slowly evening out as his body relaxed.

Without a second thought about how it might appear to anyone else, Hutch carefully crawled into bed beside his partner and stretched out beside him. Cuddling close to Starsky for comfort and security he drifted into a peaceful sleep.

When a nurse came in at two in the morning to check on them, she smiled when she noted their sleeping position. Without disturbing their rest, she checked their vitals and wrote a mental note in her head to chart when she got back to the desk. She knew about their history and the severity of the trauma they had endured. She had been briefed along with the rest of the staff before they were admitted. Adjusting the sheet over Hutch's body, she left the room as quietly as she had entered.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

_It was dark and cold but Hutch could feel Starsky's presence even in the darkness. _

"_Starsk? Where are you Buddy?' Hutch whispered into the darkness that surrounded him._

"_Hutch? Hutch? Is that you?" Starsky's voice was faint and sounded far away._

"_Yeah, it's me. Where are you? I can't see you."_

"_I don't know. I can barely hear you?" Starsky's voice sounded on edge with a hint of fear coloring his words. "Help me! I'm scared."_

"_I'm trying, buddy. I'm looking for you and I won't give up until I do." Hutch swore. He took a determined step forward into the darkness in the direction Starsky's voice appeared to be coming from._

"_Hurry, Blondie…" Starsky's voice began to fade and weaken. "I need you…I can't find my way to you, you'll have to find me..."_

"_I will, buddy. I swear." Hutch promised as he continued moving deeper into the darkness._


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

Dark blue eyes opened to darkness. Gripped by a deep rooted panic that he couldn't give voice too, his gaze swept around the room. When his eyes settled on the blond sleeping in the second bed in the room, a sense of peace swept over him and his eyes closed**. **

Hutch awoke just as the sun was starting to filter through the window. An early riser by nature he was instantly alert. His eyes immediately sought out his partner's face. Starsky appeared to be sleeping. Hutch glanced at the doorway as an aide brought in his breakfast tray. He gave her such a brilliant smile that she blushed self-consciously as she sat his tray on the bedside table and scurried out of the room.

Hutch lifted the cover on his plate to find a bowl of runny oatmeal, cold toast, and something that might have been eggs. He put the cover back on the plate and pushed the tray aside. He could do without breakfast.

Sighing heavily, he leaned back against his pillow and stared at the ceiling. Although he was improving physically, his mind still felt like Swiss cheese. He could remember bits and pieces of his captivity but not enough to give the department any solid clues as to who had been holding him and Starsky prisoner and torturing them both ruthlessly. He couldn't even remember how he had escaped.

A rustling from the other bed caught his attention. Turning his head, he watched As Starsky moved restlessly on the bed, apparently caught up in the middle of dream and not a pleasant one from his reactions.

Automatically he reached out for his friend and his voice took on the gentle, soothing tone he reserved solely for Starsky when he was in pain. "It's okay, pal…I'm right here. You're safe now."

Starsky immediately quieted and his breathing slowed down. Hutch smiled as their old familiar bond pulled them together again. As long as that bond was there, he knew that they were going to be alright. No matter how long it took Hutch would be there by Starsky's side until he recovered completely.

The day passed slowly. Hutch had always hated hospitals. The forced inactivity, the constant interruptions for routine checks or medications, the bland unappetizing meals, and the constant noise in the hallways from the medical staff, visitors, call bells, and the overhead pages.

Daytime television was no distraction. Game shows, soap operas, and talk shows were just mindless drivel. Hutch never had been the type to watch much television not like Starsky who loved old comedies and movies along with late night creature features.

As the afternoon turned into evening, Hutch noticed that Starsky's restlessness was increasing. Occasionally, a soft whimper would pass his lips or a nerve in his cheek would twitch. Hutch was watching over him as usual when he saw a sliver of blue showing through a crack in Starsky's eye lids. He held his breath, waiting anxiously to see what would happen next.

It seemed like an eternity but it was only a matter of minutes until his eyes slowly opened and confused sapphire blue eyes looked back at Hutch.

"Hey, buddy…" Hutch said in a voice that shook with emotion, "Welcome back…" Light blue eyes locked with midnight blue and held. Hutch knew the instant Starsky's awareness grew stronger and he became more alert.

"Hushhhhh…" the brunet said in a hoarse voice cracked from months of disuse. But, to Hutch, the simple sound of his best friend's voice was music to his ears. The effort of saying his partner's name seemed to exhaust him and Starsky's eyes started to drift shut.

"Don't!" Hutch said a bit more sharply than he inteneded. "Keep your eyes open. Stay awake…for me."

Automatically responding to Hutch's voice, Starsky's eyes remained open and he maintained eye contact with his partner. Encouraged by Starsky's response Hutch slowly climbed out of his bed and moved to his partner's side. Leaning over his partner, Hutch gave him a shaky smile and said in a tightly controlled voice, "Hey, buddy. It's about time you decided to wake up. You're in a hospital and you're gonna be okay…we both are. We're back in Bay City…we're safe now."

Although Starsky didn't reply, his eyes showed that he understood Hutch's words. A single tear escaped and slowly ran down his cheek. Gently, Hutch brushed it away and gave his partner a shaky smile. "We're home…" he whispered. "We're home."

Neither man noticed the nurse that had entered the room. "Oh, my god! He's awake. I'll get the doctor right away."

The next few minutes were filled with activity as the doctor and a nurse hurried into the room. Hutch refused to leave Starsky's side as the doctor began a quick examination. Starsky remained silent refusing to answer any of the doctor's questions even though it was obvious that he understood him. When he had finished with his cursory exam and looked at Hutch with an encouraging smile and said, "Everything looks good. We'll know more after a few tests but those can wait until our friend here gets a little stronger. In the meantime I'll leave him in your capable hands."

With those parting words the doctor and nurse left the two men alone. Hutch knew that he should contact Dobey and let him know that Starsky was actually awake but, for now, he just wanted to spend some time alone with his partner and best friend. Together they were stronger than either one alone and that strength would help them to heal each other now.

Now that the two detectives had been returned to Bay City Hutch's condition improved dramatically. Within a few days he was out of bed and walking around. He was also eating better and assuming most of Starsky's personal care.

Starsky was conscious but refusing to communicate or to allow anyone to touch him except for Hutch. When anyone else was in the room, his eyes would follow their movements cautiously, watching for any signs of danger or threat. Hutch remained close ready to reach out with a reassuring hand to settle his partner if needed.

Two weeks after their return to Bay City, Captain Dobey arranged a formal interview with Hutch. He met with the blond while Starsky was sleeping.

"You said you remember dropping Starsky off at his apartment and then going home and going to bed. Is that correct" 

"Yes."

"And the next thing you remember is waking up in an unfamiliar place, restrained and in pain."

"Yes. I think I was drugged with something." Hutch offered "I felt groggy and hung over. And the pain got progressively worse as I became more alert."

"And you said it was a few days or possibly longer before Starsky was with you."

"Yes. I think it was a week, maybe more."

"And he was hurt too."

"Yes. He'd been beaten and burned. He was unconscious for a couple of days."

"Was he able to tell you anything when he woke up?"

"Not really. Just that he took a shower and fell asleep watching TV. He doesn't remember being abducted just waking up tied up and in pain same as me."

"Did he tell you if he saw any faces or heard any names?"

"No, nothing."

"What about later…after they'd had to two of you for awhile?"

"Three men," Hutch answered slowly "Two looked enough alike that they could have been brothers…late thirties, dark hair, dark eyes, medium build. No distinguishing scars or marks. The third man was older…in his mid to late fifties with gray hair and a beard. Heavyset with a scar on his left cheek. I heard one of the younger men call him Pete."

"Did they ever say why they took you and Starsky?"

"Just that we had to pay for something that we did but they never said what it was we were supposed to have done."

"And you never heard either of the two other men ever called by name?"

"I think I heard one of them call the other one Bro which is another reason why I think they were brothers."

"But you did not recognize any of the three men?"

"No."

"Did Starsky?'

"Not that I know of."

"How did you and Starsky get separated?"

"One day they beat Starsky so bad they thought he was dead. The old man said it was time to get rid of both of us. They took Starsky and left me there. When they didn't come back, I finally managed to get free and ran. I was in the desert for two days before I finally found a town."

"Why didn't you ask for help? Tell someone who you were?"

"I was confused. I couldn't remember much at the time and I was afraid of anyone getting too close. Sometimes I'd have flashbacks but they were never clear enough for me to make sense of. I thought Starsky was dead until I overheard his name at the hospital that day."

"Thank god for that. Is there anything else you can remember? Anything at all?"

"I think the younger two might have had some Indian blood. They seemed to know a lot about the local customs and history."

"Could you help an artist make a sketch of them?"

"Maybe…" Hutch said cautiously. "Most of the time they beat us if we tried to look at them."

"I'll set it up." Dobey said. He finished his notes and closed his notebook. It wasn't much to go on but it was a start and it was all they had. He could tell that the interview had troubled Hutch and tired him. "You get some rest. I'll check back later."

Hutch nodded as Dobey left the room. As he leaned back against the pillows behind his back, Starsky opened his eyes and said,

"About time he left."

"You didn't need to fake being asleep." Hutch pointed out

"I ain't ready to talk to nobody but you…not even the Captain."

"You're gonna have to talk to them eventually."

"I know. But not just yet."

Hutch could not ignore the frightened tone of his partner's voice. He nodded his agreement and watched as Starsky closed his eyes. Hutch did the same, drifting off to sleep himself.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

Minnie smiled as she watched Starsky playing with the rubic's cube that she had brought him. He was concentrating intently on trying to solve the puzzle. Minnie had figured that his childish side would love the challenge and she knew it would help stimulate the problem solving part of his brain that had been dormant for so long.

Hutch had shown only a passing interest in the toy, preferring to watch Starsky's enjoyment at playing with it. Within the past few days, Starsky had finally started to open up and talk to other people. It was a slow process but he was getting better at it every day.

With his artistic eye for detail, Hutch was able to provide fairly accurate sketches of their three capturers. But, despite an extensive search, no matches had been found for the pictures. Once more the case seemed to be at a stand still.

"I heard that the doctor is going to cut you two loose soon." Minnie said, tossing a smile in Hutch's direction.

"In a few days." Hutch told her. "Huggy found a two bedroom beach house that Stark and I can share and the Captain and some of the other guys from the department are helping furnish it."

"I know. I donated some dishes and a sofa." Minnie told him with a grin. "Looks like you're gonna be all set to get back to your lives."

"Yeah, the settlement from the department will be enough to make sure we don't have to worry about money." Hutch told her. "Plus I still have the trust fund my grandfather left me."

"And you both will be getting your retirement benefits." Minnie pointed out. It had been a mutual decision that they would be given a disability retirement with full benefits from the force. They had already sacrificed enough for the department, in blood, sweat and tears…as well as more then their pound of flesh.

"So what are your plans now?"

"I don't know. I want to travel some and so does Starsk. After that, I've got my painting and music and Starsky has his photography. We'll be okay"

"I know you will as long as you two are together." She lowered her voice so Starsky couldn't hear her and said, "How is my trashy boy doing?"

"He's doing good. He has his good days and his bad days, but that's to be expected. He had a hard time accepting his mom's death but he's doing better."

"And how are you doing?"

"I'm okay," Hutch reassured her with a smile. "As long as he's okay, I'm Ok."

"Do you think you'll ever find out what happened and why?"

"Honestly? No. I think it's been too long and whoever had us was too careful. The file will be kept open to gather dust just like all the other cold cases filed away in the basement. Unless we get really lucky someday…but not today." 

Starsky and Hutch had discussed the case for hours in the privacy of their shared room but neither one of them could come up with anything more than what had already been reported. As seasoned police officers, they both knew that their case may never be solved unless at least one of more of their capturers was identified. Unfortunately, unsolved cases were all too often a fact of life for a police officer.

"I'd better go," Minnie said after glancing at her watch. "Mark will be expecting me for supper." Minnie had finally gotten engaged to her long time boyfriend and they had set a date for their wedding in mid-July. She had already insisted that Starsky and Hutch be there as her special guests of honor.

After Minnie had left the room, Starsky laid aside his new toy with a frustrated sigh. "That thing is impossible to solve." He whined. He glanced at Hutch "Why don't you give it as shot, college boy?"

"Maybe later." Hutch said with a fond smile. He knew that Starsky could spend hours even months trying to solve the puzzle without success. And he planned on enjoying watching every minute of his frustrtation.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

Captain Dobey unlocked the door to his office and entered. He eased his bulk down at his desk with a sigh. As much as he hated it, he was going to have to go on the diet that Edith kept nagging him about. He shuffled the papers on the desk preparing to start his day when there was a knock on the door that opened into the hallway.

"Come in." he called out

The door opened and a woman in her late sixties entered the room. She had brown eyes and neatly trimmed gray hair worn in an attractive style appropriate for her age. She was tall for a woman, close to five feet ten with a slender build. She was dressed in a stylish light blue pants suit with a white silk blouse.

"Captain Dobey?" She asked in a soft, quiet voice.

"Yes, May I help you?" Dobey asked, politely rising to his feet and offering her his hand. She gave him a surprisingly firm handshake and a smile.

"I think I may have some information that could be useful to you." She said as she sat down in one of the two chairs facing the desk. She pulled a worn file folder from the depths of her bag and laid it on the desk. Dobey gave the file a questioning look as he sat back down.

"My name is Grace O'Riley." The woman introduced herself. "Until my retirement last week, I was the director of Maplecrest Manor in Los Angeles."

Dobey nodded. He was familiar with the name. Maplecrest Manor was a very expensive and very private mental institution in southern Los Angeles that catered to the rich and famous.

Confident that she had his full attention, she continued, "About six years ago, one of our long term patients died in her sleep. She'd been ill for quite some time so her death came as no surprise. Although she had a brother listed as her next of kin, he had not been around to see her in several years. So when the aide cleaned out her room, most of her belongings were either donated to other residents or thrown away. But, any personal papers are kept and stored for seven years in case any family member should come forward to claim them. After that they are destroyed. That's why I'm here today."

"Go on," Dobey prompted her sensing that there was more to the story.

"That file contains several letters from her brother, apparently in response to letters she had written to him. In the beginning they were just the usual kind of letters you would expect between two family members especially ones who have been estranged from quite some time. But the last few letters are the ones that concerned me. When I read them, I remembered the two detectives that came up missing a few years ago and I realized that these letters seemed to be referring to them. Then when I saw an article in the paper last week about them being found and returned home and how they were getting on with their lives, I realized that I had to bring these letters to someone's attention."

With his curiosity aroused by her story so far, Dobey opened the file and began to glance through it. There were several letters addressed to _**Sissy**_ and signed by someone named Ronnie. Paying particular attention to the last few letters, it didn't take long for Dobey to see what Ms. O'Riley had meant about their content. They appeared to the outlines of a plan to abduct Starsky and Hutch and make them pay for something they had allegedly done to the sister.

"What was this patient's name?" Dobey asked

"Everyone at the hospital knew her as Karen Foster but that wasn't her real name. Her real name was Diana. Diana Harmon."

Dobey felt the hair on the back of his neck stand on end at the name. He remembered much too well the young nurse that had become obsessed with Hutch and who had eventually had a psychotic break and tried to kill him. Luckily Starsky had arrived in time to rescue Hutch from any serious injury.

Diana had been found legally insane and sentenced to the state hospital for the criminally insane. Apparently, her family had had the money and the power to have her moved to Maplecrest under an assumed name.

"Do you have any idea at all how to get in touch with her family?" Dobey asked anxiously

"No, I checked all our records and the addresses we have are no longer any good. All I have is the names of two of her brothers. Ronnie and Peter Harmon. They both lived in Los Angeles. I believe there may have been a third brother but I don't know his name. Her parents are both deceased. Apparently they were quite wealthy and their children shared a sizeable inheritance so none of them had to work."

"Thank you so much for coming in, Miss O'Riley. May I keep this file?"

"Of course. I'm just glad I could help in some small way. I just wish I had thought to bring these letters to someone's attention sooner."

Dobey stood up and escorted her to the door. After she had left his office, he returned to his desk to make some phone calls and to start actively searching for Peter and Ronnie Harmon. He decided to wait a little while before notifying Starsky and Hutch about this new lead in their case.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Diane Harmon?´Hutch exclaimed "Are you sure?"

"Positive." Dobey told him "I checked it out. She was transferred to Maplecrest 6 months after she attacked you. Her parents arranged for her to be admitted under an assumed name to avoid the publicity. She was patient there until her death from a brain tumor 6 years ago." He pulled a small notebook from his jacket and consulted his notes. "She had three brothers, two younger than her and one older. Ronnie, Peter, and Steven. Until shortly before her death she maintained a regular correspondence with her brother Ronnie. According to their last few letters, they had been working on a plan to get even with you. They blamed you for her being there."

"So you think they were the three men who held us prisoner for five years?' Starsky asked in a tightly controlled voice.

"Everything seems to point in that direction."

"Where are they now?" Hutch demanded

"We have APB's out on all three but none of them have been at their last known addresses for the last couple of years."

"How could they pull something like this off by themselves?" Starsky growled

"Apparently they each had a significant inheritance from their parents to fall back on. Money buys a lot of favors and seals a lot of lips." Dobey pointed out unnecessarily.

A heavy silence fell between the three men. They may have finally identified the men responsible for their torture and confinement but they were no closer than they had been to bringing them to justice. Diana was dead and her three brothers had disappeared. With a vast fortune at their disposal, they could be anywhere, living comfortably under assumed names in another country. Only time would tell if the case would go back into the cold case file where it would linger indefinitely.

THE END

A/N: I know this story may not have ended the way some of you would have liked but I wanted to show that not every case has a happy ending or a final resolution.


End file.
